SUB-postmasters in East Lancashire have condemned moves which could see the closure of 3,000 post offices in towns and cities across the country.

The restructuring plan was announced yesterday, although the details of which offices will be affected could still be months away.

It means sub-postmasters and customers now face an anxious wait of up to two years before they find out what will happen to their branches.

Postmasters are now being asked to decide whether to stay in the service or leave, without knowing whether their branches are earmarked for closure. Grants of up to £10,000 are set to be offered to improve urban branches, but staff are expected to be given two years' pay if they decide to leave.

Mike Rigby, branch secretary for the East Lancashire National Federation of Sub Postmasters, said: "It is a worrying time for all of us.

"We just don't know what's going to happen."

Mr Rigby, who runs a sub post office in Nelson, said: "The uncertainty of it all is very hard for all of us, and for our customers. They have been asking for a long time what will happen, and we just don't know."

Edward Thomas, sub post master for Waterfoot post office in Rossendale, whose wife Mary is also temporary manager of two post offices in Blackburn, said he had been forced to opt for closure, despite being in the business for 16 years.

"I have opted to close, but I would much rather stay as we are. We are being forced to close; it is not our doing. We don't know what we are going to do - it is our livelihood. It is very sad that we have gone from a vast empire of a business making millions of pounds to one which is losing thousands a day. Something is not right somewhere."

Moren Mathia, sub post master at Higher Croft post office, Blackburn, said: "Nobody knows which post offices will shut... we are just having to wait."

Ramish Patel, sub post master at Bastwell, said: "We are just waiting to see at the moment what will happen. We really don't know and it is very hard."

Bill Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers' Union, said: "A couple of years ago the postal service was first class because it had a monopoly on letter delivery and it had the best network of retail outlets in the country.

"It is an act of vandalism to deliberately set out to destroy them both. Post Office executive director Alan Barrie said that 95 per cent of people in urban areas would still live within a mile of their nearest branch following the changes. Branches might relocate to a "more suitable" location. A Post Office spokesman said: "All proposals will be carefully tailored to local conditions with proper and full consultation before change." Rural post offices would not be affected.