TENS of thousands of defiant people in Worcestershire have added their support to a campaign to keep post offices open.

Pensioners, teenagers, and businesses have all signed a national petition urging the Government not to end the Post Office Card Account.

Many people fear the loss of the account, which enables the elderly to collect their pension and other people to pick up benefits locally, would be the final nail in the coffin for thousands of post offices.

St John's Post Office alone has collected 4,500 signatures since the petition was started at the end of April.

Matthew Bumphrey, the postmaster at the post office in King Charles Place, said: "We have had comments coming out of ears as well as signatures. People have been saying it is ludicrous and that pensioners should be able to withdraw their pension wherever they want."

"Feelings are running very high on this subject and people want to keep their local post offices open. It is as simple as that."

The Government intends to pay benefits and pensions straight into people's bank accounts. Last week, it also stopped post offices issuing TV licences.

In Malvern Link there have been more than 1,500 signatures. Anne Deegan, the sub-postmistress at Worcester Road, said: "It would affect a lot of people through the loss of jobs as well as being a terrible inconvenience to customers.

"No one wants to see their local post office closed down."

People living in rural areas will be most affected by the changes. Lyn Jameson, postmaster at Tibberton Post Office, said it would mean a round trip of up to 10 miles for her customers.

She added: "It is going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of people and completely threatens the viability of the post office.

"No one knows what will happen in the future, but it doesn't look good."

Liberal Democrat Councillor Margaret Rowley, who lives in Tibberton and represents the Tibberton and Himbleton areas on Wychavon District Council, has been collecting signatures of her own.

She said: "Village post offices provide a vital service for local people and gradually the Government is taking away these services causing closures which can have a profound effect on communities."

The signatures are being collected nationally and no overall figure is yet known.