One of Eastbourne's busiest post offices is facing closure within three months under controversial cost-cutting plans.

The Post Office branch in Upperton Road will shut in November to stem losses of almost £65,000 a year under plans outlined today.

Angry customers said it will mean longer journeys to other branches. Mother-of-two Karen Allen, 36, of Upperton Road, Eastbourne, said: "This is unacceptable and there should be a rethink.

"The Post Office should be thinking about the pensioners and young mothers who cannot afford to travel further afield to another post office."

Post Office chiefs defended their plan, insisting it was not feasible to continue running the branch with such huge losses.

Kevin Ray, head of area for Post Office Ltd, said two other branches were within half a mile of Upperton Road, in Terminus Road and Ocklynge Road, Old Town.

He said major improvements to the Terminus Road branch would go ahead should the Upperton Road post office be axed.

More counters would be added to cope with extra customers, along with car tax facilities, a bureau de change and a post shop.

The Old Town branch would also undergo an overhaul, with car tax facilities being added and increased staffing.

Mr Ray said today: "Closing the Upperton Road branch is as difficult for us as it will be for our customers but doing nothing is no option at all.

"We simply cannot continue to operate a branch that costs nearly £65,000 more to run than it contributes each year. In addition, the Post Office Ltd is losing £1.7 million annually.

"The full impact of switching benefit payments from books into bank accounts is likely to eventually cut as much as £400 million more a year off our revenue.

"And as the Government also wants another £50 million annually trimmed off operating costs of our directly-managed branches, closure of this Eastbourne post office is the logical option."

Some Upperton Road staff will transfer to Terminus Road. Mr Ray said: "We hold our staff in Eastbourne in the same high regard as our customers do.

"Also, we have a long-established track record of supporting our people through changes and we would do everything we reasonably can to ensure their preferences are met."

A number of post offices in Brighton and Hove have already shut, while a number of branches in Worthing, Seaford and Keymer are under threat or have shut.

Residents in Lewes also face a fight to save post offices from closure.

Hove MP Ivor Caplin and Brighton MPs Des Turner and David Lepper are concerned the plans are part of a wider scheme to shut down more branches.