Residents near Gilwern have been treated to a new post box following the removal of the previous one due to an alleged act of vandalism.

Concerns were raised earlier this year after a replacement for the post box was delayed, with the rural community of Twyn Wenallt left without the vital amenity for a number of months.

The Post Box, located on Station Road near Gilwern, was removed by the Royal Mail in February, following an alleged incident of vandalism. This left the small rural community of Twyn Wenallt without a vital amenity, especially as the box was frequently used by residents, including by some small businesses.

Royal Mail had previously failed to deliver on its promise to replace the postbox within 12-16 weeks. You can read that story here.

But now that the new postbox has been installed by Royal Mail, the Senedd Member for Monmouth, Peter Fox, was there to watch the new one be installed.

“I was very concerned to hear the original box had been removed back in February. I immediately set to work, and contacted the Royal Mail, and even raised the issue in questions to the First Minister of Wales, to raise awareness,” he said.

“After frequent correspondence between my office and the Royal Mail, we recently received confirmation that a Post Box would be returned to the community.”

“I am therefore delighted to see that work has taken place very quickly to get the box built, and I know how important this will be for local residents once it comes back into service.”

The new postbox was installed on Saturday and serves as a lifeline to the community, with locals now feeling that they are less cut off from other local communities and those further afield.

Mr Fox immediately spoke to concerned residents and contacted the Royal Mail to relay concerns and to ask for the Post Box to be restored as soon as possible. After correspondence and campaigning by the Monmouth MS, the Royal Mail confirmed the box would be replaced.

One local resident, Debbie Field, has said that access to services which may seem simple can be a rarity in rural communities, and praised the Senedd Member for his role in securing the new post box.

"Amenities in rural areas like ours are vital. A lot of what people might take for granted in towns and cities are rarities for us, so when our Post Box was removed, it caused a lot of concern in the community,” she said.

"Peter, as our Local Member of the Senedd, took our concerns seriously and has been in regular contact with the Royal Mail, pushing hard over the last few months to get the box restored and returned.”

"I am delighted to see it has now been built, and look forward to it coming into service, which will be a relief for all of us who rely on it. We are all grateful here to Peter for his efforts in supporting us.”