Post Office managers have confirmed seven branches in the Worthing area have been earmarked for closure.

They are currently the subject of a six-week public consultation which ends on December 23.

Those tipped for closure include Pavilion Road, South Farm Road; South Ferring, Ferringham Lane; Tarring Road, Heene Road; The Pier, Bath Place; The Plaza, Rowlands Road; West Tarring, High Street; Worthing Road, Littlehampton.

Postal services watchdog Postwatch will be discussing the closures with Worthing MPs and the borough council.

Postwatch South East chairman Dr David Bland said: "We recognise that Post Office is facing an enormous challenge to reinvent its network and make it sustainable. It is a sad fact customer numbers have been falling, pushing some sub-postmasters to resign and close shops anyway.

"Postwatch wants to make sure people living in areas of Worthing who are affected by the Post Office's plans to reinvent the network are made aware of the changes and have the chance to tell us if the Post Office has got it right."

Drew McBride, of the Post Office, said: "All our substantial research and discussions demonstrate the number left in Worthing is the maximum that levels of business locally will sustain.

"We realise losing the neighbourhood office on the doorstep will be an inconvenience for customers whose branch closes but this is not on an issue on which the Post Office can stand still."

Thursday November 13, 2003