THE Post Office today confirmed it is to close another Blackburn counter as part of a national plan to shut down 9,000 of its bases.

And mail bosses insisted they had received just a handful complaints about its plan to close the Post Office at Lammack.

The move was announced in September along with an eight-week consultation, which could have potentially saved Lammack PO, in Columbia Way. But area manager, Eddie Herbert, said only a few people had come forward to protest, backing up his view that it was no longer financially viable.

As a result, Lammack PO will close on January 5.

Lammack councillor, Sheila Williams, today said it was a pity the counter would now have to shut for good.

She said: "It is a great pity that no one has come forward and that we are losing a local service that will affect some elderly people and mums.

"It will be detrimental to the area. I suppose most people have things paid straight into their bank account."

But she also backed up Mr Herbert's view that the local community has been apathetic about the closure. She added: "Nobody has complained to me at all. Not one single complaint which is quite surprising."

Many East Lancashire post offices are to close in the next few months, with several having already gone in Blackburn, Lower Darwen and Burnley.

Last week it was announced that six in Accrington were to close. In other areas, furious campaigns have been launched appeals to save the post offices - but that never materialised in Lammack.

Mr Herbert added: "I am confident that other branches in the area are suitably located and can cope with the extra business this closure will cause. Proposals to close post offices are not made without considerable research and discussion. Our aim is to safeguard access to a post office for all communities.

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

"Lammack post office has been affected by a declining number of customers, increasing running costs and the prospect of even less business now the Department of Works and Pensions is transferring benefit payments from passbooks to bank accounts."