SIX post offices in Prestwich and Whitefield are facing closure under a radical shake-up of services by Post Office Ltd.

The company announced on Wednesday that the urban post offices could close within three months, along with seven others in Bury.

Affected locally are: Danesway Post Office in Bury Old Road, Sedgley Park; Park Lane Post Office, Whitefield; Whittaker Post Office in Whittaker Lane, Prestwich; Besses o'th' Barn Post Office in Bury Old Road, Whitefield and Hillock Post Office in Albert Place, Whitefield. Whitefield Post Office, in Bury New Road, will not re-open after last year's temporary closure.

The proposed closures have been blamed on too many post offices competing for too little business and Post Office Ltd claims it is restructuring its national network of 9,000 urban post offices to safeguard access to a post office for all communities.

One postmaster, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he was happy with the decision as people had stopped using the post office, preferring instead to receive benefit payments through the bank. He said: "We only get paid if people come in and use our services!"

But Bury South MP, Ivan Lewis pledged: "I am determined to fight any closure which is genuinely detrimental to our local community. I am particularly concerned about the impact on pensioners, disabled people, and residents without easy access to public transport."

The public consultation period has been extended until March 30. Then the sites could close their doors for the last time in May.

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

Lib Dem Councillor Vic D'Albert, said: "We warned this was on the cards and have been campaigning against it for two years."