Residents in the Welsh village of Reynoldston are celebrating the opening of their new community-owned convenience store following a tough year of fundraising.

Reynoldston Post Office and shop had been on the market for over two years without attracting a buyer.

Local people managed to save it from closure by raising £105,000 as part of a community share offer.

One of the key drivers behind saving the shop was the desire to provide a welcoming community hub for the village, to reduce social isolation and give general support to residents, according to management committee member Laurence Carpanini.

“After nearly 12 months of collaboration and hard work, we’re delighted that we’ve completed the purchase of Reynoldston Post Office,” he added.

“The primary objectives of the management committee were to secure the future of the last community post office in South Gower, whilst retaining the shop as an essential community amenity in an age when such businesses are becoming more and more scarce, and I am pleased to say that we have met both of these objectives.”

The store was officially opened by the village’s oldest resident, 92-year-old Alan Bevan, who cut the ribbon.

The shop offers a range of essential goods plus banking, travel and insurance services.

There are currently 342 community-owned shops trading in the UK.