Cherries legend Steve Fletcher turned out at a Bournemouth post office to honour the avid fan who was postmaster there for 25 years.

Ensbury Park Post Office and grocery store, on Columbia Road, was run by long-standing fan Peter Delement and his wife Melina.

Mr Delement died last year and the re-opening of the refurbished business – with an added coffee shop – turned into a tribute to the popular postmaster.

The business is now being run by daughter Anouska Dixon and her husband Jason, who asked AFC Bournemouth to send a representative in honour of Mr Delement’s enduring support for the club.

The club sent Steve Fletcher, one of the postmaster’s favourite players, who scored 88 league goals in 493 appearances over 15 seasons. Mr Fletcher said: “A post office is vital to a community, so I am delighted to be here to congratulate new postmaster Anouska Dixon on her commitment to the comm-unity and to see all the improvements made to the branch.”

Melina Delement said: “I am happy my daughter Anouska and son-in-law Jason have chosen to keep the business in the family.

“The family have worked tirelessly during past few weeks on the refurbishment and we are excited to introduce Pete’s coffee named in memory of my husband.”

Ensbury Park Post Office was refurbished as part of plans to modernise the network and extend opening hours for customers, and Mrs Dixon decided to make changes to the retail side of the business at the same time.

She said: “I am really delighted that Steve Fletcher was able to perform the opening – my father would have been very impressed.

“We would like our customers to be reassured that behind all the changes and modernisation we aim to continue offering the same friendly, helpful service that my parents always gave.”

The changes allow the store to renew car tax and stock more foreign currencies. The branch is also open an extra 13-and-a-half hours a week, including Saturday after-noons.