THE Post Office today confirmed it is considering the closure of another Rossendale counter as part of a national plan to shut down 9,000 bases.

And mail bosses revealed they are to review a total of 13 post offices in Bury North and Bury South as part of the national programme of urban closures.

The move will coincide with an eight-week consultation of all residents in the area.

But local councillor Barry Theckston says he will write to mail chiefs in support of keeping the facility open.

There are 21 urban post offices in Bury North and 18 in Bury South but after research and discussion with the sub-postmasters involved, the company is proposing to close 13 of them to ensure the viability of the remaining offices.

Ramsbottom's Nuttall Lane Post Office in Bolton Road is among five branches in Bury North earmarked for closure. The others are Woolfold Post Office in Tottington Road; Nuttall Lane Post Office; Jericho Post Office in Rochdale Old Road: Hollins Post Office in Hollins Lane and the post office at 169 Bolton Road. Closures could start in May.

Duncan Baxter, Nuttall Lane Post Office sub-postmaster, said: "We have been here for nine years but a decline in people using the post office has brought this about. It will be a shame for the local community but there is another one quite close which is Ramsbottom. We will continue to provide the newsagency facility."

Ramsbottom councillor Barry Theckston said: "Post offices are part of the British way of life and part of a community, but it seems as though there is an agenda to run the community down. It's such a shame to hear of this and I will be writing in support of it remaining open because it serves a community within walking distance, a lot of whom are elderly people."

Eddie Herbert, head of area, said: "Proposals to close post offices are not made without considerable research and discussion so we are anxious that customers and all relevant organisations understand why we consider it necessary to reduce the size of our network.

"The harsh reality is that many urban offices are struggling to survive because there are too many branches for the amount of business.

"We have considered this situation very carefully and have concluded that if these offices were to close, it would improve the long-term prospects of the other 10 urban and one rural post offices in Bury South and the 16 urban and four rural post offices in Bury North.

"We are confident they could cope with the extra business and therefore we are proposing to close these 13 offices permanently from May."

Anybody with any concerns or opinions should write to Eddie Herbert by March 30 at the National Consultation Team, PO Box 2060, Watford, WD18 8ZW