RESIDENTS of South East Cornwall's largest village, who thought they were going to lose their mobile banking service, have had their fears allayed.

A NatWest spokesperson confirmed to the Cornish Times on Wednesday that the service would now shift from Mondays to Tuesdays at 2.30pm, starting from next week.

However the service to Downderry, which had a much smaller usage, will cease.

Customers in Millbrook, especially the elderly, local businesses and those unable to drive, see the mobile bank as a lifeline, as without it they face a three-hour round trip by bus to Plymouth as there are no buses to Saltash and only one a day to Liskeard.

Customers at the last Monday service this week were unaware that the weekly service was not being axed after all, and expressed their concerns. Local businessman Chris Chan said: 'I use this weekly. When they go, I will have to go to Plymouth one day a month or get someone to go for me as I don't drive.'

Janet Poulsen, a disabled customer who has a 'hearing dog for the deaf', said: 'As a non-driver, in winter especially, it is useful.'

However, the NatWest spokesperson said: 'The original mobile bank was coming from Exeter but we have now withdrawn it back into Devon to serve our customers there. The mobile bank in Cornwall, which previously stopped at Looe, will now be coming to Millbrook.

'The way we served the village's mobile banking facility was always under review and, ultimately, we can now look after more customers.'