FEARS that a village store was to close permanently leaving a rural community without a shop were dismissed last night.

People living in Wearhead, Weardale, were worried that they were going to lose the village Co-op store for good after a letter delivered to homes said it was due to close on Saturday.

The letter prompted many phone calls to the Co-op and to the county councillor for the area, John Shuttleworth, who said the community could not afford to lose the store.

However, the Co-op has reassured residents that the move is temporary due to a staffing crisis.

John Tompkins, on behalf of the Penrith Co-operative Society, said: "The letter has been worded badly. We will be re-opening as soon as we can.

"The manager of the store left, followed by the two part-time staff and we are having to replace them and train new staff.

"We were manning the store with people from St John's Chapel and from Penrith, but that is no longer possible. So we are closing until the staff have been trained.''

It is expected that the store will re-open in two to three weeks and, in the meantime, shoppers can telephone their order to nearby St John's Chapel and their groceries will be delivered free of charge.

Councillor Shuttleworth said he was disappointed with the way the closure has been handled and has accused the Co-op of letting people down.

He said: "It has been handled very badly and they have let a lot of loyal lifelong customers down. I am pleased that they have reviewed what they have put in the letter."