PROTESTERS who have fought the closure of a post office held a vigil to mark its final day of trading.

Users of the Western Road Post Office in Hove met yesterday just after 4.45pm to mark its closure.

Paul Sweetman, owner of neighbouring shop City Books, helped co-ordinate a campaign to save it - which saw a petition of more than 7,500 signatures.

He said: "It's just beyond belief really because even today the queues were long.

"Nobody actually believes it and I have not met one person who is anything but completely shocked by it."

The services of the Post Office will transfer to the next nearest ones in Melville Road and Churchill Square, Brighton.

Mr Sweetman added: "It's going to be an absolutely nightmare for both of them, I imagine.

"It's just hard to understand. Being a Crown Post Office they are supposed to look at more than just profit and look after the public interest."

Residents teamed up with Brighton and Hove councillors and MPs Peter Kyle and Caroline Lucas to try to save the at-risk branch.

Councillor Ollie Sykes said: "It's a really sad day. So many people have worked so hard to try to make the Post Office change their minds and we really think they could have made it work.

"But the fight goes on and we think the Post Office needs to reconsider and open a franchise."

In a protest called The Last Post, locals held a vigil with candles and presented a wreath.

Afterwards, everyone moved into the branch and held a sit-in for ten minutes - representing the amount of time they claim Post Office bosses spent listening to their objections.

Mr Sweetman added: "Most people thought it was a done deal but some of us thought better of the Post Office and thought they would listen to our views but they haven't.

"It's really all about the people. One of them has basically been working there since he left school and is now retiring.

"The staff are wonderful and unfortunately that will be a loss to the area."

A spokesman for the Post Office said the number of customers using the Post Office had declined in recent years and that the branch was no longer commercially sustainable.

He added: "As well as Melville Road, there are three other Post Office branches - Hove, Brighton and Blatchington Road - less than a mile from Western Road, all of which have capacity to manage increased customer footfall."