CAMPAIGNERS in Earith dressed as parcels to highlight the plight of their threatened post office. Around 200 protestors took to the streets of the village on Saturday afternoon, marching around the village to show their anger at the branch s proposed clos

CAMPAIGNERS in Earith dressed as parcels to highlight the plight of their threatened post office.

Around 200 protestors took to the streets of the village on Saturday afternoon, marching around the village to show their anger at the branch's proposed closure.

Postmaster Andy Ballard said: "We have had fantastic support from the village, even from the people who do not use the post office regularly.

"We are making it clear to Post Office Ltd just how strong the feeling in the village is."

The Earith post office, housed in the village's Bridge End Stores, is one of seven Huntingdonshire branches earmarked for closure.

A public consultation period on the closures is under way, and ends on August 26.

Post Office Ltd wants to move post office services in Earith into the Riverview Hotel, where a proposed 'outreach service' would lie.

Councillor Steve Criswell, who attended Saturday's demonstration, said: "Earith is the most-used post office in the district earmarked for closure. People should not be expected to drive to Somersham to use the post office, and it could not cope."

Elsewhere, campaigners at the threatened Great Gidding [bold] branch dressed as Olympic athletes in support of their post office this week.

The Save Gidding Post Office Action Group says that people in the villages would need to be as fit as Olympians to make the difficult journey to the nearest post office at Sawtry.

A spokesman for the group said: "The journey to Sawtry on foot is impossible for all but the fittest and there are no footpaths on most of the route.

"The Gidding post office serves a wide area, way beyond the boundaries who use its services daily. Post Office Ltd is expecting us to go back to the days of the pony express."

The action group is presenting its case to save Great Gidding post office to Post Office Ltd tomorrow (August 14).

INFORMATION: Visit www.saveearithpostoffice.co.uk