HOUSEHOLDERS are being urged to "return to sender"

proposals by the Post Office to close four south Wiltshire post offices and five more with outreach services.

The call to arms comes from leader of Wiltshire County Council, Jane Scott, following her meeting with Post Office representatives.

County council leaders and Salisbury MP Robert Key have pledged to oppose the proposals and Mrs Scott wants everyone to fight for the survival of rural post offices by "writing to the Post Office to tell them these proposals should be returned to sender."

Under plans announced by the Post Office, the postal services at Victoria Park in Salisbury will close together with the "Valentine" post office in Lover, near Redlynch, and the post offices at Laverstock and at Bulford Village where the facility is in the Working Men's Club.

The controversial proposals will see post offices in Broad Chalke, Coombe Bissett, Newton Tony, Tilshead and Wylye replaced with "outreach services" - this could include a mobile service operating for a few set hours each week or a post office operating out of a village pub, shop or from third party premises.

Earlier this year the county council spearheaded a 13,000 strong protest petition when the Government announced that around 2,500 post offices across the country may have to shut.

This week the council said it is now going into battle to "defend rural facilities."

Mrs Scott said village post offices play a key role in rural communities and the council is determined to do all it can to save them.

She told the Post Office representatives that the closure of any one branch would be a severe blow to the community it served. She told them: "There is real anger in Wiltshire about these proposals. Post offices offer a lifeline to many rural communities.

"We strongly disapprove of the plans and we believe the criteria used to measure the efficiency of these vital facilities is totally flawed.

"We are concerned that not only will the plans affect our rural communities but they may also hit the viability of other businesses."

Both the council and Mr Key plan to rally support from parish, town and district councillors, Chambers of Commerce, the voluntary sector and other organisations.

Mr Key said he is ready to "make representations to Royal Mail and Government ministers."

Mr Key said: "The knock-on effect of the closure of post office is felt mostly by the elderly and infirm.

"Take the post office away from a village shop and it can easily push it into loss-making and closure.

"Enough is enough."

The Post Office now plans to start a six-week consultation period to allow comment on the proposals.

Mrs Scott said the county council also plans to make its own individual and detailed assessment of each proposal, measuring it against the Post Office's criteria.

She said: "We have the local knowledge about everything from community transport to village facilities.

"We are determined to use that expertise to ensure every single post office is treated fairly.

"It is really important that everyone makes their feelings known by taking part in the consultation."