SUTTON Scotney's post office and village shop has reopened.

When it closed last year, villagers feared the new owners would convert the Oxford Road premises into housing.

But, thanks to Serge Dosanj, his wife, Jas, their postmaster son, Harry, and daughter-in-law, Cherry, Sutton Scotney has its shop and post office back.

The family with a famous footballer daughter - the first British Asian to play for England - has moved to the village from Southampton.

Aman, 22, who also played for Southampton and Arsenal, featured on a Royal Mail stamp as a real-life Jess - the main character in the movie, Bend it Like Beckham.

"She was serving in the shop last Saturday and some kids recognised her," said proud mum, Jas, who is a trained beautician.

The Dosanj family has given the shop a makeover and renamed it Portways after their former store in Maybush, Southampton.

The new-look shop now sells chilled foods, including Indian takeaways, beers, wines, toiletries, groceries, newspapers, toys, gifts and stationery.

They have plans for a bakery, a ladies hairdressers and a beauty salon next door.

Serge, 45, said: "After moving to the village, there is no way we are moving back to the city. People are so friendly. The lifestyle is different.

"There is a sense of community that has been lost in cities."

The software consultant-turned-shopkeeper said the till was already ringing up 170 sales a day after being open just a few weeks.

Also helping occasionally behind the counter on holidays will be the couple's younger daughter, Jasmin, 18, who is studying for a degree in photography in Calgary, Canada.

Chairman of Wonston Parish Council, Gay Finn-Kelcey, said the shop and post office reopening was great news.

She said: "Everybody is very enthusiastic and glad. It has already increased the sense of community. Without a shop and post office, the village was in danger of dying."

About 200 village shops a year are said to be closing across Britain.

According to local historian, Peter Clarke, in 1910, Sutton Scotney had five grocers, three bakers, three blacksmiths, two ironmongers, a draper, a butchers, a fishmonger, a tearoom and an undertakers, together with a village shop and post office.