Fears a post box painted gold in honour of Olympic champion Mo Farah could return to its original red colour have been stamped out by Royal Mail.

The post box in Broad Street, Teddington, was painted after Farah sealed his place in athletics history with his second Olympic gold medal in the men’s 5,000m final at last year’s London games.

Wooden cladding appeared around the box this week and sparked concern it may not be a permanent tribute to the 30-year-old’s magical victory and could return to traditional red.

People took to Twitter to express their dismay and even got in touch with Farah to let him know.

Alan Cronin ‏said: “Mo Farah we were just talking about you in Estillo – can’t believe your post box on North Lane is being repainted red! Big protest!”

Nancy Page said: “What has happened to the Mo Farah gold post box?”

A Royal Mail spokesman confirmed the commemorative post box would remain gold and that work was in fact being done to repaint it with a permanent coat.

The spokesman said: “The initial paint that was put on was a temporary coat that just doesn’t last long, especially in our climate.

“All 110 of the boxes are now being painted permanent gold. This is a little more complicated that the temporary one because it has to be stripped down first.”

The spokesman also said a commemorative plaque would be added to the post box at a date yet to be set.

This is the second post box that has been painted gold after Farah’s first win in the 10,000m led to another in neighbouring Isleworth, where he grew up, being given a special Olympic makeover.

Farah trained at St Mary’s University’s endurance performance centre between 2001 and 2010 and is a familiar face in the Bushy Park parkrun.

He became only the seventh man in history – and the first Briton – to secure Olympic gold medals in both the 10,000m and 5,000m.