The Post Office has insisted it wants to reopen a branch it closed three weeks ago.

The counter in Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, was closed due to "irreconcilable differences" with the sub-postmaster and deputy mayor Jack Saheid.

Customers were not warned about the closure and campaigners say hundreds of people have signed a petition for it to be reopened.

They barricaded the building when auditors attempted to enter the premises ten days ago and said they would do it again if necessary.

They fear they will be left stranded without a post office if the auditors are allowed to complete their work.

Councillor Saheid, who owns the building, said it was impossible for the Post Office to envisage somebody else running its affairs in the same premises.

He said: "I'm quite prepared to run it within 30 minutes' notice. They haven't given me a reason why they don't want me to open it. My main interest is to get the post office open as quickly as possible and serve the community."

Finola Brophy, 53, of nearby Ladydell Road, helped coordinate the petition and urged the Post Office to say exactly what it planned to do.

A Post Office spokesman insisted it shared the same determination as residents for to reopen the branch.

He said: "We are committed to reopening it at a site nearby as quickly as possible but obviously with a different postmaster. That's been our position all along."