HAMPSHIRE County Council leader Ken Thornber has responded angrily to this week's announcement that 61 post office branches in the county will be axed from next month.

As reported, following a six-week public consultation that saw thousands of signatures on petitions and placard-waving protests, Post Office Ltd has decided to shut down all but one of the branches that was proposed for closure. The only branch to be saved from the axe is in Andover.

However a post office at Littleton, near Winchester, has received a three-month reprieve until April 9 as alternative funding options are looked into.

Postmistress Chris Robins said: "I might be able to do something in that three months. I just feel so sorry for the elderly and the disabled."

Councillor Ken Thornber has slammed the Post Office's decision.

He said: "Post offices and local shops can play an integral part in making a village or town a community. The closures will see the vitality and vibrancy of these communities reduced.

"Assuming that anyone living up to three miles from a post office can make the extra journey to use it is wrong. The fact post offices have a community role to play is being ignored."

He said that too little has been done to give the post offices a chance to survive.

"Not enough effort has been made to find alternative ways to make post offices more financially viable. We asked that where an existing business can submit a viable business case, the Post Office should reconsider any decision to close."

Last month, the county council announced it would consider using buildings such as libraries as homes for post office services.

Cllr Thornber added: "The county council has already put its money where its mouth is and set aside £100,000 to provide grants to communities to help keep local village shops open and thriving.

"The demise of rural post offices is likely to jeopardise village shops which often depend on the income."

Tim Nickolls, the Post Office's network development manager for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: "We believe the amended plan offers customers across Hampshire the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future."