CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to fight post office closures with a “blizzard” of protests after it was announced that the axe could fall on seven Penwith branches.

Long-awaited plans by the Post Office were revealed on Tuesday with 49 Cornish offices due to close and a further 13 replaced by “outreach” services.

Penzance, Alverton, St Ives, Lelant, Nancledra, Paul and Madron have been earmarked under the Government's Network Change Program, which plans to cut one in five Cornish branches as part of 2,500 closures nationwide.

Penzance district councillor Emma Schofield, whose Promenade ward is set to lose the Alverton and Morrab Road offices, said: “Closing Alverton will leave more than 2,500 people high and dry with no facility – and by saving St Clair and Heamoor it will create a north-south divide in the town.

“It has parking and is the ideal post office to save as a large amount of elderly and disabled people will lose their only chance to meet someone during the day. We have a petition and this is just the first of many demonstrations – we will take it all the way to Gordon Brown if we have to.”

Andrew George, MP for West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, says the Government has put the interests of big business above the needs of the community.

He said: “These gagging orders are fundamentally anti-democratic during what is supposed to be a local public consultation period.

“Even more cynically, they have chosen this to take place when people are either away or frantic during the busiest period in our local economy.”

Town and district councillor Jan Ruhrmund added: “A blizzard of protest letters and e-mails must reach the Post Office to stop this madness.”

The Post Office claims that, under the Area Plan for Cornwall, 98% of people will see no change to their nearest branch or live within one mile by road of an alternative.

Arthur Maddern, 87, who has had four strokes and makes the journey from Trenoweth Road to cash his pension on his disability scooter, said: “I can only walk about 20 yards but people bring me a chair or let me go to the front of the queue, but if I go to Penzance I will have to stand.

“If I had known how this country was going to go I would never have joined the Navy and fought at the age of 18.”

Judith Inman, aged 82, who protested on behalf of the 20 residents of Willowfields care home, said: “We would be forced to take taxis which is tantamount to a cut in our pension. The whole country is suffering but the smaller people are being hit the hardest.”

Central Ward district councillor Derek Thomas said: “The disgrace is that during this so-called consultation period communities are placed in competition with each other as, under government guidelines, if one post office branch is saved a neighbouring branch must close.”

Pete Pass, who took over the branch with sub-postmistress wife Sue, after moving from Stoke-on Trent two years ago, said it had been hard keeping the news a secret since May.

He said: “We made the rallying call at 8.45am this morning and six hours later we had to stop the traffic. We are overwhelmed by the support – they are a proud people here and like their independence.”

The Post Office says the consultation process, which ends on September 1, is not a forum for debate on whether branches should close and is only to make sure the correct branches are selected.

The public are invited to take part in the local public consultation by completing a questionnaire at www.directenquiries.com

Those without the internet should call 01344 360101 or 01344 457200 for a paper form.