A post box in Cheam has now been painted gold for Olympic cycling champ Joanna Rowsell.

The Royal Mail started painting the post box in Ewell Road, Cheam village this morning in honour of the former Nonsuch High School pupil, who grew up and still lives in the area.

It follows her world record breaking victory in the women's team pursuit final on Saturday.

The Royal Mail painted a post box in Carshalton on Monday, because St Helier Hospital was the place of her birth.

But the decision to choose Carshalton caused uproar among Cheam residents on social networking site Twitter.

The decoration of the Cheam post box will no doubt delight the champion cyclist.

After the box was painted in Carshalton, she said: "Luckily for me its not too far away.

But I am from Cheam - my parents live on the Nonsuch estate. I'm a Cheam girl."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said post boxes were being painted where winning athletes were born, and places of importance to them, such as where they grew up or lived.