Hundreds of people have signed a petition condemning the sudden closure of a post office which provided a lifeline for the local economy.

The decision to shut the office in Church Road, Hove, has sparked widespread anger among customers.

More than 400 people have signed a petition started by Val Tancock, manageress of nearby Johnson Cleaners UK, to save the office.

Hove MP Ivor Caplin today took the issue to the top, sending a letter to Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt, after Post Office bosses failed to respond to his earlier appeals.

Mr Caplin described the company's handling of the closure as appalling.

The main post office outlet for the area is due to shut tomorrow after the sub-postmistress of nine years resigned and Post Office bosses failed to find a replacement. It is the latest in a series of closures in Hove and Portslade.

Mr Caplin wrote to the Post Office last week demanding to know what alternative services would be provided for customers.

He gave managers a seven-day deadline and promised to take the matter to the Trade Secretary if they failed to reply.

He said: "The bottom line is there has to be a postal service in Church Road. That's the issue the Post Office is plainly failing to take on board."

Mr Caplin said he hoped the letter to Ms Hewitt would give the Post Office "a kick up the backside".

In it he wrote: "The suggestions by the Post Office to transfer services to the much smaller branch in Blatchington Road are impractical since this office will not be able to cope with the 8,000 customers the Church Road office deals with each week.

"Needless to say this issue is causing a great deal of anger and anxiety locally.

"At the very least the Post Office must be instructed by you to make arrangements for postal services to be available in Church Road before the end of May.

"Frankly, the attitude of the management nationally has been appalling.

"I urge you to discuss this with them as a matter of urgency."

Earlier this month, The Argus revealed the future of the branch was under threat after the sub-postmistress of nine years, Mary Hodgson, resigned because she could no longer afford the rent.

The freehold of the building is owned by Saied Abdulkhani, proprietor of the neighbouring Italian restaurant Otello.

He is believed to be considering plans to extend the restaurant but is still willing to renegotiate the lease.

Mr Abdulkhani said the rent on the post office building had not been reviewed for a number of years and he felt his proposed new rent was reasonable.

He said: "I have at no point suggested to the patrons of the post office I want them to leave."

Paul Simmonds, head of area for the Post Office, said: "We have been working flat out to find a replacement sub-postmaster for this area but to date without any success. We are determined to maintain a post office branch in the locality of Church Road and we will be redoubling our recruitment efforts."

He urged anyone interested in taking over as a sub-postmaster in the area to call 0845 601 6260.