A village shoe shop which was set to shut following bereavement is now to carry on in business with a new owner.

The Shoe Box in Saundersfoot had been successfully run by Hywel and Gwenda Rees for 25 years until Gwenda’s sudden death at the age of 75 in June.

Customers from far and wide, already saddened at the loss of popular Gwenda, were further upset when it was announced that the business was to close.

But in the midst of the flurry of The Shoe Box’s closing down sale – where all the high-end stock is half price – Hywel was approached by a local lady wanting to buy the business to carry it on as a shoe shop.

He has now agreed a sale of the business to Julie Jones of Wooden, who will also lease the property in Brewery Terrace.

“I’m absolutely over the moon,” said Hywel, who is a building surveyor by profession. “I hadn’t even advertised the business for sale.

“Julie is thrilled to be carrying on The Shoe Box, and I think I will be carrying out Gwenda’s wishes for it to continue.

“The shoe shop was her little baby. She was still working there the Friday before she died on the Monday, which is why it was such a terrible shock.

“Knowing the business will carry on has given me so much peace of mind. I’m delighted, and so pleased for all our customers."

Hywel plans to hand over the shop to Julie following the conclusion of the half-price sale at the end of the month, which has been attracting a huge response.

“It’s been absolutely bonkers – I’ve never known anything like it,” he said. “People have been buying up to six pairs of shoes at a time!”