More than 150 people staged a protest against the closure of a post office.

The rally at Hove Town Hall was the latest move by residents angry at the closure of their main post office in Church Road.

Postmistress Mary Hodgson retired at the end of May and the Post Office has not found anyone to take over.

Customers now have to use a sub-post office in Blatchington Road, Hove, where there is limited disabled access and queues often overflow on to the street.

Tory parliamentary hopeful Nicholas Boles and Hove Business Association chairman Keith Bryden have been lobbying Post Office managers since May to take urgent action.

Mr Boles said: "This situation is a result of absolute incompetence by the Post Office. Despite the fact they knew for months the Church Road branch was going to have to close, they did not make provisions."

More than 1,300 people have signed a petition calling on the Post Office to open a mobile post office outside the town hall.

A Post Office spokeswoman said: "We are exploring every avenue in an effort to restore convenient local access to Post Office services in the Church Road area as soon as possible.

"We have already explored some alternative locations but no firm decisions have yet been taken.

"However, we would still urgently like to hear from further potential applicants who have suitable premises."