IT HAS been sharpened for months across the rest of the country but today the axe falls on post offices in Worcestershire. The Post Office’s proposals, leaked to this newspaper late last night in advance of today’s 10am announcement, earmark 10 branches for closure with a further four being replaced by ‘Outreach’ services.

The hit list is part of the Government’s plans to close 2,500 post offices nationwide.

The reasons behind this seemingly draconian move are simple enough to understand. The harsh reality is that fewer people are using traditional post offices as services migrate to the internet and banks.

It is claimed the closures only affect 80 per cent of branches and that after the changes are implemented 99 per cent of the UK population will live within three miles of a branch.

That sounds reasonable enough but we all know that it is the elderly and vulnerable who make the most use of local post offices. Three miles for them might as well be the ends of the earth.

For the vast majority of us, these closures will make little difference. It is those most in need who will suffer. If you rely on your local post office for companionship as well as for its services then the economics behind closure mean little.

The branches that are vital parts of their communities – and on first glance it would appear the Malvern area has been particularly badly affected – are the ones for which we should all put up a fight.

The numbers might not add up but sometimes economics should play second fiddle to humanity.