Campaigners fighting to save post offices laid a wreath at their 138-year-old branch to mark its "death".

Residents held a funeral procession before laying the wreath at the the Mill Road sub-post office in Lancing to mark its "passing" as it closed for the last time yesterday.

As the wreath was laid, sub-postmistress Morgan Nahid broke down and cried.

David Stevenson, 52, chairman of the North Lancing Post Office Action Group, which organised the event, stuck two fingers up as a defiant message to Post Office Ltd, which is responsible for the closures.

He said: "We have evidence for the existence of a posting house or post office here since 1870 and, rather like a muchloved relative, we must mark its passing with due respect.

"MP Tim Loughton talked about the Post Office sticking two fingers up at our communities and I have a similar message for them."

The post office was earmarked for closure in November 2007, the second time it had been on a closure shortlist in two years. Residents were quick to set up an action group to try to save the branch, which also has a small shop.

Hundreds of letters were written and research was carried out by people keen to show the branch was still well used.

The evidence was sent to the Government, regulator Postwatch and the Post Office, only for the campaigners to hear nothing back except bad news.

Sub-postmaster Ali Nahid, 63, who has owned the shop for more than eight years, said: "We are all very sad. We have put our heart and soul into the business as well as a lot of money.

"We are going to try to carry on the shop but a lot of business is going to go with the closure of the post office.

"It's going to cause a tremendous amount of damage to the business and affect our financial situation."

Mr Stevenson added: "We trusted in their process working and that due care, consideration and a detailed response to our evidence would be received early in 2008.

"All that arrived was a poster sent by Post Office Ltd, which was to be put on display stating that Mill Road would close on March 11.

"Even then, we contacted those who have the power to overturn the decision to think again, to read through the points we made properly and to use common sense in realising that Mill Road should be kept open. But it was all to no avail.

"We do still have the shop and very much hope, with support from everyone, that it will remain as a focal point."

On Monday the first post office in the latest round of closures shut for the last time in Preston Street, Brighton, while a further five branches on top of the Mill Road post office closed yesterday.

These were: Bowness Avenue in Sompting; Crowhurst, Battle; Top Road in Slindon; Springfield Road in St Leonards; and West Beach in Shoreham.

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