Residents fighting to save their local postal services have been given renewed hope.

The last remaining sub-postmaster in Hastings' Old Town area recently announced he would be retiring at the end of November, leading to fears customers would be left without a local branch.

Although the sub-post office in the High Street has been on the market for more than a year, there has been little interest in it.

Now Hastings and Rye MP Michael Foster, borough councillor Mike Bigg and county councillor Trevor May have joined forces to try to save the service.

At a meeting with post office managers they were told a number of applications had been received from local shop owners and interviews were due to start within weeks.

Coun Bigg said: "There are lots of worries in the Old Town about the closure of the post office, particularly among pensioners, but post office management are keen to help.

"There are, however, some difficulties still to be resolved, but we made our feelings, and those of the people in the Old Town we represent, known."

The Post Office Network is also seeking a replacement for the branch at 86 High Street, Hastings, which closes next month.