POST Office customers will benefit from longer opening hours at a newly refurbished branch.

MP for Lewes Norman Baker officially opened the new branch in Chyngton, Seaford, on Wednesday.

The Walmer Road Post Office will now be open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm and on Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

Branch manager Nik Patel said: “We were pleased to have Mr Baker here for the grand opening to mark a new start for our post office.

I hope our customers can benefit from the new modern fittings and longer opening hours.”

The modernisation of the branch is part of a major renovation programme of up to 8,000 post offices across the UK.

The government committed £1.34bn to maintain and modernise the Post Office network in 2010.

In November 2013, it pledged a further £640m investment until 2018.