A number of regional newspapers have begun campaigns to preserve local post offices in small rural villages across England.

The Heartland Evening News, The Burton Mail and the East Anglian Daily Times are among those voicing concerns at Government plans to reduce the number of outlets.

More than 500 readers have already been in touch with the East Anglian Daily Times to express their dismay at the proposals, and have given their full backing to the campaign in an area which looks set to lose 67 branches.

Editor Terry Hunt said: “I’m not surprised by the level of response to our campaign. Post offices act as a vital lifeline for so many people, and whole communities will feel their loss.”

The EADT is asking people to sign an online petition, and are hoping for as big a response as they had in 2000, where a similar campaign saw more than 100,000 sign a petition

The Heartland Evening News’s Mort Birch holds a similar view, describing rural post offices as “havens of reassurance” that offer valuable services to everyone from young mothers to the elderly.

A poster campaign and online petition are just two of the ways the Heartland Evening News is encouraging local people to fight back against the possible post office closures.

As it stands 2,500 post offices are currently threatened with closure and if, as expected, these plans go ahead, local communities would be left without a post office by the end of next year.

In Burton-On-Trent, the Save our Post Office campaign is currently under way with community support gathering momentum.

The Mail is throwing down the gauntlet to its readers who may be hit by the planned closures to take the campaign on their travels and send in pictures.

And petitions opposing the plans to close post offices in South Derbyshire are available at The Mail’s offices

Branches in Church Gresley, Egginton and Newton Solney have been told they may be closed and locals who use these post offices and many more across Burton and South Derbyshire are encouraged to sign a petition in protest to the proposed closures.