POSTWATCH officials are "horrified" about the proposed post office closures in Ipswich, the Evening Star can reveal today.More than 2,500 people have signed petitions against the plans to shut offices at Barrack Corner, Felixstowe Road, Ruskin Road, Spring Road and the Wherstead Road branch that is actually based in Austin Street.

POSTWATCH officials are "horrified" about the proposed post office closures in Ipswich, the Evening Star can reveal today.

More than 2,500 people have signed petitions against the plans to shut offices at Barrack Corner, Felixstowe Road, Ruskin Road, Spring Road and the Wherstead Road branch that is actually based in Austin Street.

The Post Office is currently in a consultation period that is due to end on March 30 and after that they will announce what branches will have to close.

A meeting to discuss the closures is being held at the Whitehouse Community Centre on March 30 at 3pm – where George Hooper from the Post Office will hear what people from north west Ipswich think of closure plans.

Ipswich MP Chris Mole today called for residents to be given more time to appeal against the proposals. Mr Mole has discussed the plans with representatives of Postwatch East of England, the watchdog for postal services in our region.

He spoke to Ely-based Linda McCord and Roger Brunning, who have been arguing against similar plans in Peterborough, Bedford and Cambridge.

If Postwatch object to closures then the Post Office have to formally hear their points and take them into account.

After the meeting, Mr Mole said: "I was able to express the concerns that Ipswich people have about the planned closures.

"I was pleased to hear that Postwatch is particularly horrified by the proposed shutting of the Wherstead Road Post Office.

"I welcome the time Postwatch is giving to looking at the situation in Ipswich in some depth.

"I was also glad to hear that, in the light of further discussions, the Post Office is working with the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society to place a branch in their Cauldwell Hall Road store.

"However, this does not mean the new post office at the Co-op's Rose Hill centre will not now proceed."

Mr Mole added that he wanted the consultation period to be extended by two weeks to give those affected by the closure of the Felixstowe Road branch the chance to air their views.

At a heated public meeting on Tuesday, George Hooper, head of the Post Office's eastern region, tried to defend the proposals.

He said the Post Office had lost almost £200million last year and were having to close about 3,000 branches nationwide.

n What do you think of the proposed closures? Write in to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk or visit the forum at www.eveningstar.co.uk