A SUB postmaster in Worcester is fighting to keep his post office open by urging customers to use it or lose it'.

Jeffrey Bailey, who owns the city's London Road office, said he and sub post masters across the country are waiting for the result of a Government review which will decide whether they stay open or lose their contracts.

He has taken matters into his own hands by distributing about 600 leaflets to nearby homes, urging residents to use the site or risk losing it.

"They (the Government) can withdraw our contracts, but they would have to pay us," said the 60-year-old, who has been there for about eight years, and is the President for Worcestershire's Federation of Sub Post Masters.

"It makes everyone edgy and upsets the customers.

"They are unsettled."

He said if the post office was to close, it would have a terrible impact on elderly customers.

"People would be forced to go elsewhere or find an alternative," he said.

"It would be quite dramatic, especially for the pensioners, because they come and draw their money and do their banking with us, which saves them going to town."

Mr Bailey said the post office serves Battenhall, Victoria Avenue, Wyld's Lane, Sidbury and Whittington.

It provides a range of services, in addition to a postal service, including banking, insurance, foreign currency and a shop.

Regular customer Christopher Day, who has been visiting the shop for over 30 years, said they offered a first class service and he did not want to see this lost.

"If this closes I son't be able to get a lot of things done without having to go a long way as I can do everything here, just around the corner from where I live. If we lose it, it will be terrible."

Another frequent customer, Janet Osborne, of Hillery Road, said the facility was wonderful and she didn't want to see if go.

"I have been coming here for years and I hope to goodness we don't lose it. It would be horrendous. It is so convenient for me."

And another customer, Jean Walton, visits the post office even though she lives in Kempsey, which also has a threatened post office.

"I come here for my mother who lives just up the road. She is 94 years old and we use it as it is convenient for her and a lot of old people here. I don't know what we would do without it."

And Mrs Walton added she believed there had been a post office on the area for almost 100 years and could not understand why they would lose the valuable community asset now.

Last month the Worcester News revealed controversial plans to transfer the services of the city's main post office to WH Smith's High Street store.

The Foregate Street office is set to close in the next 18 months and is one of 70 branches nationwide being transferred into the WH Smith stores.

The Government's decision is expected at the end of May.