A YOUNG mum of two has set up shop in a Fenland village so residents no longer have to travel FOUR MILES for their food.

Lucy Craddock has never managed a shop but has taken the bold step of founding The Little Local, a convenience store in the hub of Christchurch, which opens today.

Mrs Craddock, 24, her husband Stephen and their two children, live in the property so she only has a few paces to travel from her living room to the shop floor.

And she is thrilled by the response to the venture. She said: “Everybody really wants a shop here and have been asking when it is going to open.

“Townley Primary School is nearby so we could get children coming to and from the school.”

Locals have to make the trek to Upwell for basic goods and travel even further to March or Wisbech if they wish to do a larger shop.

The shop used to be a post office but had become rundown before parish councillor Nigel Russell took over the property in August.

Renovating it has been a major investment since it needed to be altered, gutted, re-wired and re-plastered.

A book-share has been set up so villagers can bring their spare books into the shop and swap them with other readers.

Mrs Craddock hopes to sell fresh bread and cakes in the shop.

She is excited about the prospect of getting My Little Local off the ground but admits the first few months will be challenging.

She said: “To begin with it will be trial and error since this is all new to us. It will just be about getting enough customers to make it worthwhile for us to be open.”