DESPITE local anger and council opposition, Hindsford post office will close permanently on March 17.

Customers will have to use Tyldesley's main Johnson Street post office -- less than a half mile away.

Wigan Council's cabinet and Hindsford councillors have opposed the closure from the start.

Cllr Mark Aldred said: "I am gutted it has gone through. My wife's uncle used to run it and it always seemed successful, but I suppose times change. It will be a blow to the area."

Post Office area head Eddie Herbert said: "We received a number of representations and the main concerns were about the effect of the closure on the more elderly customers.

"Proposals to close post offices are not made without considerable research. The harsh reality is that many urban offices are struggling to survive. There are too many branches for the amount of business."