An historic postbox which has stood at the same spot for 104 years and had been put in danger after a car smashed into it is to be saved.

The Victorian pillar box has been a fixture on the corner of The Downs in Altrincham for generations.

The future of the ornate red post box – originally installed in 1896 – was put in doubt this week after a car collided with it.

Residents said they heard an ‘almighty bang’ as the postbox was partially ripped out of the pavement and left at a 45 degree angle. But the Royal Mail has confirmed it will repair and reset the postbox, to the delight of the residents. A spokesman said: “The pillar box will be reset upright and repainted as being Victorian. It is seen as an important part of the historic street scene.”

The pillar box was made in the 1890s by Handyside and Co Ltd of Derby and London and sits in The Downs conservation area.

Taken from an article first published in the Manchester Evening News.