Two communities are celebrating after their local convenience stores and post office branches were saved from the axe.

Residents in Twerton, Bath, and Winsley, Bradford on Avon were devastated when their Nearby Stores closed abruptly without warning the week before Christmas.

As each shop houses the local post office branch, hundreds of customers were forced to travel elsewhere to post their Christmas packages.

And users of the central Avon Street store were also stunned when the food retailer's owners suddenly shut up shop after they went into administration.

Across the South West, a total of 33 Nearby stores, trading under the name Nisa Local, were put up for sale by administrator KPMG.

But it has now emerged that 13 will be saved by Southern Co-operatives, which operates 140 convenience stores across the south of England, including those in Winsley and Bath, although the post offices still remain temporarily closed.

The shops being saved are: Tyning Road, Winsley; High Street, Twerton, Bath; Avon Street, Bath; Redcliffe Street, Bristol Retail Unit; Katherine Park, Corsham; The Square, Mere; St Edmund Street, Weymouth; Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth; Old Street, Clevedon; Graham Way, Cotford St Luke, near Taunton; Southampton Road, Poulner, Ringwood; Parsonage Barn Lane, Ringwood and Above Bar Street, Southampton.

Last night, Twerton councillor Tim Ball said the news had been a delightful late Christmas present for his ward.

He said: "Many elderly people and young families in Twerton rely on this store and to have a Co-op in the high street again will be an added bonus.

"It is also great news for residents who worked in the Nearby Stores to know their jobs are secure for 2009.

"It is great news that such a good retailer is moving in and the Post Office is continuing its support of our community after closing a few weeks ago due to the uncertainty of the shop's future."

News of the collapse of Nearby Stores had thrown communities into panic. It is still not known what will happen to the 20 stores not bought by Southern Co-operatives.

Phil Ponsonby, Southern Co-operatives chief operating officer for food retail and services said all staff would be kept on as part of its acquisition.

He said: "We are aware that the Twerton store had been struggling to source supplies, and we are therefore currently working with suppliers to urgently restore stock levels and, importantly, with the Post Office to ensure this service is up and running again as soon as possible.

A spokesman for Royal Mail said the firm was unaware of the shops changing hands but confirmed the postal services would be replaced as soon as possible and apologised for any inconvenience caused to customers.

John Heagney, Group Symbol Director of the Umbrella firm Nisa-Today's said: "All stores within the group are independently owned and so whilst a store may carry Nisa branding, all of its operations are entirely the responsibility of the store owner.

"We are aware that Nearby Stores Limited, which became a Nisa-Today's member in September 2007, has experienced financial difficulties and has now gone into administration.

"None of the stores within the Nearby estate will be receiving any further deliveries from Nisa-Today's and they will subsequently be de-branded as Nisa during the coming days."