Kensworth's post office, which has been closed for a number of weeks, was shut down as a temporary measure, the Gazette has been told.

Readers in the village, who have been travelling to branches in other areas, have contacted the Gazette to express concern about the future of the branch.

The worries follow in the wake of the news that two Dunstable branches and Eaton Bray's post office have been earmarked for closure.

But Kensworth subpostmistress Harjit Sidhu has told the Gazette that the post office was closed temporarily after she and her assistant suffered family bereavements.

Efforts were being made to put new staffing arrangements in place so that the post office could re-open as soon as possible.

Talks have been going on but nothing has yet been finalised.

The subpostmistress said that she appreciated that the temporary closure was inconvenient for customers.

And she said: "It's definitely not part of the national closures, it is nothing to do with that.

"We have had a bereavement in the family, which has absolutely left me no alternative."

She added: "It was completely unexpected, completely unforeseen."

A Post Office spokesman said that the temporary branch closure began on August 28.

He said: "We apologise to customers for the temporary closure. We are looking to re-open it as soon as possible."