The question now being asked is if branches in Radnorshire are next for the chop?

Brecon and Radnorshire's Liberal Democrat MP, Roger Williams, is to step up his long-running campaign to save post offices in what is the most rural constituency in the UK, as the date for the announcement of closure plans for post offices in Mid Wales draws closer.

"The threat to post offices has been constant for the past 20 years," said Mr Williams.

"The Tories closed thousands of post offices when they were in power, although they now say they want to save them!

"Labour is just carrying on where they left off."

He believes the evidence is there for all to see as the Government has slowly but surely removed vital services from rural branches so eventually closure is the only option remaining.

"The removal of the pension book system a few years ago and the efforts in recent times to persuade benefits and pension claimants to have their money paid direct to their bank account, plus Government propaganda to bully drivers in to buying their road fund licences on-line, all have increased the threat to post offices."

Building on the highly successful consultation process he organised last year with all the current post offices and town and community councils in his constituency, Mr Williams is following up the near 2,000 name petition he handed in to the Government at Westminster with a 'post card to Gordon Brown' campaign.

Already over 1,000 constituents have returned their signed post cards

"The Government's announcement last year that it wanted to see thousands of small post offices close is the last straw.

"I and my staff are determined to re-double our efforts to save as many post offices as we can and the post card campaign is a great way to get the message over to the Prime Minister that we in rural areas rely on these vital facilities, which are almost always local stores as well as post offices.

"Instead of reducing the services they provide, the Government should be encouraging more services to be delivered from them, not less."

Mr Williams said: "On average one in five of any region's post offices are being closed and with just over 50 depots in Brecon and radnorshire that will mean 10 closures which is a great concern."

He is also determined the speculation surrounding post office closures does not discourage rural residents from using their local branches, while he also praised the benefits of the alternative mobile post offices.

"They've proven to be very successful in Ceredigion so it's not a total disaster."

The 1,000 responses so far from rural members of his constituency, according to Mr Williams, suggests there is "a definite need for services in the area".

Lembit Opik, MP for Montgomeryshire, said: "Never in the field of postal services has so much campaigning by so many been ignored by so few.