SOUTH Zeal is desperate to find someone to run a post office in the village after owners of a shop where it was due to be located announced their plans to close the business because it is no longer viable.

Andrew and Tracey White said despite great efforts over the last three years, they could not keep the Maid Marion convenience stores going any longer.

It was hoped that bringing the post office to the stores would have kept the business alive but the delay in funding to carry out alterations work has only added to the couple's problems.

There is now a serious risk of South Zeal losing its post office completely unless someone comes forward by September 13.

Andrew White said he had made it clear to the post office that he could not afford to fund any alterations work himself but only 50% of the costs of £16,000 were offered under a Department of Trade and Industry grant scheme.

Both he and the parish council have been working hard to try and secure the remaining few thousand pounds needed through other agencies but time has run out for the Whites.

'The plan was to open the post office at the beginning of July but with the money not in place it looked like it would be months away,' he said.

'It has been a very difficult decision for us to make but we cannot hold out any longer.'

The couple invested £45,000 in the shop when they took it on in 1998 and introduced video hire and an off-licence to attract more custom.

'We always said providing the shop paid its way it could stay but when we started putting money to it we decided to call it a day,' he said.

'Everybody has been really understanding about the situation and we are grateful to the parish council for working so hard behind the scenes to try and help us.'

When postmistress Diana England died earlier this year, it was also the end of an era for the village post office, which had been run from her family home for 100 years.

Chairman of South Zeal Parish Council Bill Cann said the post office was an essential part of village life but it was proving 'darned hard work' to get the money to keep it going.

'The post office is trying its level best to get us a facility here again but some of the agencies have been less than helpful,' he said. 'They come down here in their posh suits but at the end of the day they do not come up with the goods.'

Mr Cann said it was slightly 'frustrating' when Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael talked about all the money available to retain rural services yet the funds seemed impossible to access.

'Villages are dying for want of a bit of money,' he said. 'I have met a lot of people over the past five weeks who say they want to help us but we still do not have a post office.'

Spokesman for the post office Dan Panes said the majority of the costs involved in relocating a post office went on altering premises to provide the necessary security.

'Most of the funding in terms of grants for a project like this comes from outside agencies,' he said.

'Post offices are effectively franchises and are run completely by the sub postmaster or mistress.

'In rural areas we have had to become increasingly innovative in the places we put post offices so I would urge anyone with an interest to come forward.'

The closing date for applications is September 13. Interested parties should call 0845 6016260.