York’s daily newspaper The Press has sent a delegation to Downing Street to present a petition to Gordon Brown.

The paper has been battling to save post offices across York and the surrounding area in its Cut the Closures campaign after revealing that 50 branches were under threat.

Within eight weeks of the campaign’s launch, 5,500 people had signed a petition calling for their local post office to be saved.

Press reporter Gerran Grimshaw led the party of local campaigners and politicians to deliver the campaign dossier to the Prime Minister.

They also delivered a copy of the petition to post office bosses at their Old Street headquarters.

Editor Kevin Booth said: “Like our readers, we believe the post office provides a vital community service – especially in rural areas – over and above its role as a commercial concern.

“Post offices offer a focal point, as well as a valuable service, to the most vulnerable members of our society.

“We also believe many of these proposed closures fail on the Government’s own terms – many branches facing the axe are thriving businesses.”

The Press was named the Newspaper Society’s campaigning newspaper of the year in 2007.