Residents of Rainhill have finally got access to a cashpoint after months of complaints that the village had been abandoned by banks.

Shaun Woodward MP enlisted independent operator Bank Machine to install a new ATM in the village after the last surviving bank shut earlier this year because of a series of "security related incidents" and the growth of online banking.

The HSBC branch at Dane Court was targeted twice by robbers in recent years - once in a ram-raid and once in a terrifying early morning cash in transit robbery.

But a free-to-use ATM has now been unveiled at Ann's Newsagents on Dane Court to serve Rainhill Village's 12,000 residents and ensure they can withdraw money to spend in the village - instead of shopping elsewhere.

Mr Woodward, the MP for St Helens South said: "The lack of access to cash for the people of Rainhill could have had a disastrous effect.

"Unfortunately some local businesses were already seeing the repercussions as residents were travelling into town and spending their money there.

"We want to keep Rainhill a thriving area and the introduction of Bank Machine's ATM will certainly help do this."

Ron Delnevo, managing director of Bank Machine, commented: "We are delighted to be operating this machine and to help a community that has seemingly been ignored by the high street banks. The local people deserve better and that is why we have been very happy to work with Shaun Woodward to ensure that the residents and businesses in Rainhill have access to cash."