A VILLAGE post office will find out next week whether it is the best in the west.

Cromhall Post Office was shortlisted earlier this month in the central and west regional heats of the 2009 Best Post Office Awards.

The village post office has been shortlisted in not one but two categories, Best Post Office and Heart of the Community, beating off hundreds of rival branches.

Sue Baines, who has been the sub postmaster at Cromhall for nine years, said: "It is actually thanks to my customers that I have been nominated. It is such an honour to be shortlisted for not just one but two of these awards and that fact that it has come from my customers who think I have done a good job is great."

Cromhall Post Office is no stranger to success, having won the regional title of Best Post Office in 2003.

The Best Post Office Awards, which are organised by the Post Office, are voted for by members of the public through a questionnaire they pick up at their local branch.

The awards are designed to celebrate exceptional customer service and the wide range of services available through the post office.

The awards also give special recognition to branches, which demonstrate unique ways of providing services and who make a contribution to the local community. Mike Dalton, of Post Office Ltd, said: "These awards are a great opportunity for our customers to tell us which branches are the very best in the region. Whether people visit the post office to pay their bills or pick up their travel money, we're delighted that they feel these teams should be recognised for their hard work and excellent customer service."

The winners of the regional heats will be announced by the Post Office next Thursday. The winners from this will then go through to the national final on May 21.