Villagers are going head to head with Royal Mail to fight for a Victorian post box to be refitted after a car crashed into it in November.

Melanie Hicks is leading the petition to have the box refitted in Faulkbourne but she fears the company has already made up its mind to ditch it.

Mrs Hicks said: “It’s not just a post box, it is part of Faulkbourne’s heritage and it is the last Victorian box on this route.

“It was knocked down in November and here we are in March, so what does that tell us?”

Residents now have permission from the landowner, John Frazer, who lives in South Lodge, in Faulkbourne Road, to place it on the other side of the road to make it safer for motorists and for walkers to use.

But Royal Mail says there are enough post boxes within an acceptable distance and another one is not needed.

“That box was there before any of the others so that is the one which should be replaced,” added Mrs Hicks.

Currently, there are 50 signatures on the petition, which has been going for three weeks.

The group now have the support of Witham MP Priti Patel, who has vowed to take the matter up with Royal Mail.