Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson has expressed his fears for the future of post offices.

Mr Waterson said post offices could lose up to 40 per cent of their income if plans to scrap pension and benefits payments go ahead.

He is calling on people to sign a petition to support the post office network across the town.

He said: "Post offices are the lifeblood of local communities. Many elderly people in particular rely on their local post office.

"The Government is pushing ahead with plans to end pensions and benefit payments over the post office counters as from April next year. This will cut up to 40 per cent of the income of the average post office, making many uneconomic."

Jack Revell, south-east secretary of the National Federation of Sub Post Offices, has been a sub post master in Eastbourne for 15 years and said the move was a considerable threat to the industry.

He said: "All we want is for people to have the option to have cash from the post office if that's what they want.

"The rural network of sub-post offices is totally safe. The Government ploughs thousands of pounds into them and they are opening at a rate of two a month across the country. It's the urban network that is under threat."