RESIDENTS have set up an action committee to save postal services in West Bay.

West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin called a public meeting about the proposed closure of the post office in Harbour News newsagent.

The post office is among two dozen in Dorset earmarked for the axe by Post Office Ltd.

Nearly 30 residents attended the meeting at the Salt House.

A five-strong committee was formed to fight for postal services if the proposed closure goes ahead.

Mr Letwin said: "There are various possibilities we can discuss with the Post Office.

"If we can put together a sensible plan both Bridport Town Council and Dorset County Council might chip in.

"It has to be something local people feel will work."

Mr Letwin said that the postmaster had made it clear to the Post Office that he did not want to continue running services from the newsagent in West Bay.

He said that the Post Office's main aim was to cut the annual £15,000 cost of running the service in West Bay.

Mr Letwin said that the Post Office would be happy to keep services in the area if it could save the £15,000.

Alternatives include running an outreach post office from a community building with volunteers and a business handling cash.

Residents condemned the Post Office decision to close the post office.

Peter Stafford said closures were shortsighted and would take the heart out of the communities.

He warned that there would be a gradual decline in shops and services as more people go to Bridport.

Sylvia Stafford added: "There will be an impact on Bridport.

"There will be more journeys, more parking problems and an effect on the environment."

Tony Matthews, from West Bay, blasted Post Office Ltd bosses.

He said: "There is no entrepreneurial spirit in Post Office management, about as much as a traffic bollard."

The meeting was told that there are about 200 visits to the post office in West Bay every week.

Now the committee, including Mr Letwin, is to meet to draw up proposals for alternative postal services before putting them to the people of West Bay.

But Mr Letwin also urged people to write letters of protest to Post Office underlining how important the post office is to West Bay.

He said: "It will help us when we come to negotiations so we can show that there feeling about it and that it matters here."

Letters can be sent straight to Post Office Ltd or to Mr Letwin to pass on.