A 1,600-signature petition calling on the Post Office to rethink its closure plans is being presented to Parliament on Thursday.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham will tell the Commons that the threatened closures will leave thousands of people more than a mile from a branch office -- in breach of the Post Office's own target.

The presentation is timed to coincide with the end of the Post Office consultation period on the proposals.

Mr Burham will draw attention to the Lowton St Luke's and Pennington areas that will be badly hit by the plans and will argue that a Post Office is sustainable in both communities.

He said: "This petition gives voice to the strength of feeling on this issue across our communities. I hope the Post Office will take careful note of it and rethink their plans.

"These savage cuts will leave too many people in our area without access to a Post Office and I am convinced that our communities can sustain more Post Offices than is proposed and this petition helps to demonstrate that."