A COMMUNITY which rescued its post office from closure is on tenterhooks after the shop reached the finals of a national award.

Volunteers from Storth village have seen the shop go from strength to strength after they raised £16,000 to buy the business six years ago.

Forty-four individuals run the not-for-profit business, which offers customers traditional services as well as food products sourced from across South Lakeland.

Post Office secretary Betty Semark said working at the shop gave people an opportunity to give some-thing back to a close community.

“This is a place where people look out for each other and we have lots of regulars,” she said.

“The vast majority of our volunteers start working here after moving into the area from somewhere else. Storth motivates them because they recognise what a great place they live in.”

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding, Higginsons Butchers, of Grange, and Willow Water of Flookburgh are among local manufacturers trading at the co-operative.

It has ploughed £35,000 back into the area to support the village’s playing fields, Storth’s Little Chapel, the village hall.

The champion will be announced in March 2011.