SMALL post offices across the county could shut down as part of a major Government-backed shake-up.

Managers of urban sub-post offices across the county will be offered cash to close down their branches, which are costing Consignia - the renamed Royal Mail group - millions of pounds a year.

Across the county, sub-post offices in Cropthorne, Fladbury, Charlton, West Malvern and Norton have already shut their doors over the past few years, mainly because bosses were retiring and replacements could not be found.

The proposals have received a mixed reception by sub-postmasters across Worcester.

Jeremy Richardson, postmaster at Dines Green sub-post office, said he would like to stay open for the sake of his customers.

"I'm at the stage where I would like to retire, but I have a daughter who would like to carry on," he said. "If we shut, Dines Green people would all have to travel into St John's, which is very busy.

"We don't want to close as we're concerned about our customers - imagine OAPs having to travel that distance."

Sub-postmasters at the Lowesmoor and Newtown branches both said they would have to see the deal on offer before making a decision.

The Government announced the plans to shut around 3,000 sub-post offices across the country this morning.

The cuts, which make up a third of the urban network, are being accompanied by a £200m Treasury package to compensate sub-post offices owners.

A Consignia spokesman said it was early days and did not know of any sub-post offices in the county which would shut as a result of the announcement.

He said that postmasters would be sent details of the deal in the next few days.

"We don't know any which may be closing at the moment, as we're just starting a consultation exercise where we're contacting sub-postmasters," said Consignia spokesman Dan Panes.

"The whole exercise is part of a shake-up designed to make the system more economically and commercially viable both for the post office itself and the sub-postmasters themselves."