POST office chiefs have agreed to replace a post box on the Grange Estate that was decimated when vandals stuffed powerful fireworks inside it.

Nixon Drive residents were shocked last October when a deafening explosion saw bricks and iron thrown nearly 30ft across the street into gardens and front yards.

Pieces of the post box also slammed into parked cars, causing deep dents to the vehicles' bodywork.

Since the incident happened residents on the road - including pensioners from the nearby Grange Court care home - have had to go out of their way to post their letters.

However, hopes for a new box were realised when borough councillor Des Worthington got confirmation that work would start soon to create a replacement.

He said: "They are definitely going to reinstate it. I have received a letter from the Royal Mail and it says that they are going to replace it in the near future.

"We have had quite a few people enquiring when it was going to be rebuilt.

"If we had not contacted them and pushed the issue then I don't know if it would have been rebuilt with all the post office closures and cutbacks that are going on."