A COUNTY councillor who champions the needs of elderly people has slammed post office closures which she claims could hit Oswaldtwistle pensioners worst of all.

A proposed shakeup of Hyndburn's post offices could see four close, with two of those earmarked in Oswaldtwistle.

Coun Dorothy Westell, who represents Oswaldtwistle, said: "There is this misconception of old people having lots of money and going on holiday.

"But there are lots of elderly people quietly living and asking for very little except to be able to go and fetch their pension once a week. It isn't a lot to ask."

In total there are 21 post offices in Hyndburn, and four will face the axe, including Union Road and Stanhill Road in Oswaldtwistle.

Coun Westell is set to continue the fight at a county level, and to write to Greg Pope MP in protest.

Under the Post Office plans, 3,000 of its 9,000 urban post offices could close.

A consultation period will now run until July, with petitions and campaign groups expected to spring up across the borough in protest.

The Royal Mail has claimed that users of the affected branches will be able to access nearby post offices.