THE future of a post office seen as “the heart” of the community it serves remains uncertain with the postmistress set to step down.

Sarah Woodfield, 47, is being forced out of the role she has held in Caerwent for four years having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia last October.

The mother-of-three said the condition, which causes widespread pain throughout the body, would take “years rather than weeks and months” to battle.

“It’ll require a big lifestyle change, and that means that I have to step down as postmistress which is something I will miss terribly,” said Mrs Woodfield, who is helped in the shop by husband Martin.

“It’s not just a job it’s a way of life, with it also doubling as a home it really is a family commitment.

“The community have been fantastic in supporting us since we started and it deserves to keep the same service when we go.”

The four-bedroom building along the village’s main road is unique in that it retains the same signage that it displayed when it first built in the 1930s.

Since being taken over by the Woodfields, the small shop has doubled as a convenience store, offering the essentials to villagers.

Mrs Woodfield has already submitted her letter of resignation, with her last day in the job earmarked as November 4.

But if a new postmaster/mistress isn’t found before she steps down, then the historic building faces closure.

Georgina Stanger, who lives a few doors down from the post office, said the village and surrounding areas “would not know what they’ve lost” if it fails to find someone to replace Mrs Woodfield.

“Before Sarah took over there wasn’t a shop for miles where you could buy sweets for your children, which is a forgotten luxury almost,” she said.

“I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve run out of something and all I have to do is walk to the post office and it’s got everything in there. It’s perfect.”

Liz Gardiner, of Canon Lane, has lived in Caerwent for 23 years and uses the post office regularly to keep up correspondence with family abroad.

She said: “It’s vital for me as I send letters and parcels to relatives in Spain, and Sarah always make sure I’m doing the right thing when sending them.

“She has worked so hard to really bring this post office to life. It would be a huge loss for the village if it has to close.”

TV personality CJ de Mooi has used the post office since moving to the area 12 years ago and described it as “irreplaceable”.

The former Eggheads star said: “Caerwent is a fairly isolated area and there’s not a lot of options for people. If I can’t go to Caerwent I’ll have to go further afield which is inconvenient and expensive.

“The post office is quite literally a lifeline for a lot of people, especially the elderly who aren’t able to use the internet.

“It’s a beautiful building, and post offices like this one are disappearing up and down the country.”

A Post Office spokesperson said: "We are aware that the postmistress at Caerwent has resigned and has put her business on the market.

“We would like to reassure customers that the Post Office is committed to maintaining a Post Office service in Caerwent and will work hard to ensure this.

“Any local retailers interested in this business opportunity should contact us on 0845 266 8790 or email NTquestions@postoffice.co.uk”