A village pub could soon be serving up stamps as well as pulling pints.

The last obstacle to opening a post office at The Blue Bell, in Callow End, was finally removed with a lease agreement between the brewery and the licencee.

The Union Pub Company previously insisted on a 21-year lease, against the wishes of licensee Bill Rice and landlady Ann Curnock.

However, it has now relented and agreed that a three-year rolling lease would be acceptable, allowing plans for a post office to go ahead.

The previous village post office closed in the spring last year after the death of Alan Richardson, in whose shop the counter was situated.

The subsequent closure of Powick Post Office in December left Powyke ward without any post office, meaning elderly people were left with no option but to travel to Worcester for their pensions.

District and county councillor Tom Wells helped with the plan for a post office at The Blue Bell.

He welcomed the brewery's change of mind and said the next stage was to secure funding for the installation of post office fittings.

"That's relatively straightforward," he said.

"It should be up and running by the summer - and not before time. It's been a real battle going through a huge amount of red tape to get this far."

Malvern Hills District Council has already granted planning permission for the post office and Mr Rice has been approved as sub-postmaster.

Chris Proctor-Smith, property director for the Union Pub Company, confirmed the lease had been agreed and said he hoped the venture would prove a great success.