OUTRAGED residents and councillors in Clent this week launched a campaign to save their popular village post office which is facing the axe.

The office - which operates out of Clent Parish Hall three days a week - is one of six offices across the Stourbridge and Brierley Hill area, earmarked for closure as part of the Post Office Ltd’s continuing shake-up of services.

Villagers and postmistress Pat Haglington have been left stunned by the news, saying the part-time post office provides a vital service for many - especially the elderly and mums with children.

Pat told the News: “The recommended alternatives are at West Hagley and Belbroughton, but people can’t walk that far - and there’s one bus a day from here.”

Villager Rachel Hillier said: “I’m really gutted, I use it twice a week; it’s hard to get to any other branches.”

District and parish councillor Margaret Sherrey is also furious that Clent’s beloved post office has been earmarked for the chop.

She said: “We’re encouraged not to use our cars and yet they do this sort of thing.”

She said villagers would be fighting the closure plans all the way - by launching a petition and putting their case forward to the Post Office Ltd.

They have also enlisted the support of Tory MP Julie Kirkbride.

She told the News: “People are very upset and disappointed, a lot of people here would find it difficult to use other post offices and we are going to fight to keep services in Clent.

“A lot of people here are elderly and this kind of change would impact on their lives.”

The Post Office is running a consultation until October 7.

But it says it is not debating whether offices should close, just whether it has the correct and best information available to enable it to make its decisions.

The closure of the post office would mean the north Worcestershire village would be left with just pubs, a fireplace shop, a hairdressers and an Indian restaurant?

It could also jeopardise Clent Parish Council’s plan to open a convenience store at Holy Cross, where councillors had been thinking of moving the post office to.

Meanwhile residents, traders and councillors in Quarry Bank have also launched a petition, although campaigners say that alone will not save their High Street post office.

They are urging people to write personally to the Post Office and they are busy putting their case forward - as they believe the statistics being used to pave the way for the closure are flawed.

Quarry Bank resident Brian Genner said data obtained from the Inland Revenue shows Brierley Hill Post Office has 7,500 users while Quarry Bank has 12,500 - and yet the figures being used by the Post Office to justify the closure (based on census results) differ dramatically.

He said Post Office data also claims that Merry Hill has 24,000 residents living at or near the shopping centre.

He added: “It’s riddled with inaccuracies as to the population, locations, demographics and distances.”

The Post Office claims suitable alternative offices are located at Merry Hill and Netherton, but campaigners say they are simply too tricky and too far for people, particularly the elderly, to walk to and parking is problematic at both locations.

For exclusive video report on the Quarry Bank Post Office campaign, visit the Video News section.