COMMUNITIES across Bury are reeling at the shock news that ONE-THIRD of the borough's post offices could be axed.

Post Office Ltd announced on Wednesday that 13 of Bury's 39 urban branches could close within three months, as part of a radical shake-up of services throughout the country.

Facing closure in Bury North are:

Woolfold Post Office in Tottington Road, Bury

Nuttall Lane Post Office in Bolton Street, Ramsbottom

Jericho Post Office in Rochdale Old Road, Bury

Hollins Post Office in Hollins Lane, Bury

Bolton Road Post Office, Bury

In Bury South:

Radcliffe Hall Post Office in Cross Lane, Radcliffe

Chapelfield Post Office in Stand Lane, Radcliffe

Park Lane Post Office, Whitefield

Hillock Post Office in Albert Place, Whitefield

Besses o'th Barn Post Office in Bury Old Road, Whitefield

Danesway Post Office in Bury Old Road, Prestwich

Whittaker Lane Post Office, Prestwich

Whitefield Post Office in Bury New Road will not now re-open after temporarily closing in April last year.

The reason for the proposed closures has been blamed on too many post offices competing for too little business.

Post Office bosses claim it is restructuring its national network of 9,000 urban post offices to safeguard access to a post office for all communities.

Proposed closures have been announced on an area-by-area basis -- 14 branches were recently shut in Bolton.

The public consultation period has been extended from four to six weeks, until March 30. Branches could then close their doors for the final time in May.

MPs David Chaytor and Ivan Lewis are ready to fight the cause of threatened offices which can justify remaining open, while local councillors have started protest petitions.