Mail bosses have come under fire for plans to close five city post offices.

Councillors and residents told last night how the plans would have a devastating impact on people's lives as they would be forced to travel further to get to their nearest office.

Brighton and Hove is expected to lose five of its post office substations.

The Post Office has confirmed three of the closures - Bates Road branch, which will close on Wednesday, April 9, and Ditchling Road and Havelock Road branches which will close on Saturday, April 12.

However, Old Shoreham Road and North Hangleton post offices are also under threat.

Drew McBride, head of area for Post Office Ltd, was told of people's dismay at a public meeting of Postwatch, the postal services watchdog at the The Quality Hotel, Brighton.

City council liaison councillor Brian Fitch, who has launched a petition against the closures of branches in Old Shoreham Road and North Hangleton, said: "I shall fight these proposed closures tooth and nail. Hangleton and Knoll need their post offices."

He said people on the Knoll Estate would now have to walk more than half a mile to a post office in Station Road, Portslade.

While there was parking in Margery Road close to the existing post office, parking was difficult in Station Road.

Coun Fitch said people in North Hangleton would have to travel a long way to the nearest post office at the Grenadier, which would be awkward and inconvenient for them.

He urged anyone opposing the closures to write to him at the city council's headquarters in King's House, Grand Avenue, Hove.

Linda Lewis, manager of Aldrington Place and Lorrimer's Court, sheltered housing for 54 residents in Bellingham Crescent, Hove, said the closures would be a blow to residents.

She said: "Closing the post office in Old Shoreham Road will have a devastating effect on them.

"It will take away their independence and they will have to rely on other sources.

"The nearest post office is in Station Road, where parking is difficult.

"They will have to take a taxi to get there."

The Preston Park Labour Action team argued the Havelock Road, Ditchling Road and Bates Road post offices were much-needed community resources and residents would have to cross a series of junctions on the A23 to one of the nearest alternative branches in Preston Road.

However, the Post Office said the closure of the Bates Road, Ditchling Road and Havelock Road branches, which were agreed with the sub-postmasters who want to leave the business, followed a month-long period of consultation with residents, groups and politicians.

Drew McBride, head of area for Post Office Ltd, said: "We fully appreciate the concerns expressed by those who let us have their views and have taken account of them in making this final decision.

"However, the issue is not about the future of an individual branch but the overall vulnerability of our urban network overall.

"Of course, no one likes to see the branch nearest to them shut but even with the closure of Bates Road, Ditchling Road and Havelock Road branches, customers will still have reasonable access to Post Office services they value and trust."