Queues have been stretching out the door after a sudden closure left Truro with only one city centre post office.

Frustrated customers are having to wait in long lines at the main outlet in High Cross to get their Christmas cards and gifts sent.

The problem emerged after the sub-post office inside the Spar shop at Lemon Quay closed without notice.

This came after the shop, under the company name Nearby Stores, went into administration, as reported in The West Briton.

And the shock closure followed the loss of three others since the autumn, at Uplands Kenwyn Street and Malpas.

Royal Mail bosses said they have brought extra staff into the main post office to try to cope with the pressure, piled on top of the normal Christmas upturn.

A spokeswoman added that they were "committed" to retaining a service in Lemon Quay, but could not say when, where or how the outlet would be up and running again.

She said: "Unfortunately Lemon Quay Post Office has closed temporarily and we would like to apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by the unavoidable break in service.

"We are working hard to find a solution that will reinstate Post Office service as quickly as possible.

"In the meantime our people at Truro Crown office are working extremely hard to serve customers as quickly as possible."

She added that the Lemon Quay closure had "nothing to do" with the loss of the other three, which closed as part of a national cull, and it was just a "coincidence" it happened so soon after they shut.