AFTER more than a decade rising at the crack of dawn to deliver papers and promote service with a smile, the owners of Kents Bank Post Office have bid a tearful goodbye.

Tim and Hilary Pavitt swapped pension books and stamps for piles of laundry and English breakfasts at the weekend as they cashed up for the final time to prepare for a new life as hoteliers, reports Ellie Hargreaves.

The popular couple have made scores of friends in the seaside village with their friendly service and are heading north for a new life in Scotland where they hope to find the perfect bed and breakfast to run.

The couple, who handed over the reins to Tony and Debbie Ryan on Sunday, said they had been "overwhelmed" by the kind gifts and good luck wishes from customers who surprised them with a Jacob's Join at the shop the week before.

"The shop was packed with over 100 people. It must have taken an awful lot of organising because a lot of our customers are housebound and it was absolutely overwhelming. We were so touched we both cried," said Mr Pavitt, who has two grown-up children. "Kents Bank is a lovely area and our customers are a great bunch of people. We have been so very lucky to have their support.

"You hear stories of so many rural post offices closing and it's nice to think we are handing over a successful business," he added.

Mr and Mrs Ryan, who have moved from North Yorkshire to take their new post, are both looking forward to the change even the 5.30am starts.

"I've worked for a bank for more than 20 years and my husband is an aerospace engineer so to say that taking over the post office is a change is a bit of an understatement," laughed Mrs Ryan. "We have been looking for about three years for the right house, the right location, and the right business and I think we've found them. We're looking forward to a happy time here."

Mr and Mrs Pavitt were presented with a bottle of champagne, a watercolour painting of the post office, cards and a collection topping £540 by customers.

"We will put the money in a safe place until we find the perfect item to buy with it. Something that will remind us of all our friends here," said an emotional Mrs Pavitt.