THE "most vulnerable" in society will suffer when Worcester's main post office moves into WHSmith, according to a city campaigner.

Brian Hunt, older people representative in Worcester, turned up at the Guildhall last night to deliver a damning verdict on the decision.

He said the elderly were being "badly treated" because the post office plans to relocate on to the first floor of WHSmith in the High Street.

As the Worcester News reported previously, the Post Office is moving from its Foregate Street office in order to save money.

Mr Hunt, speaking to post office bosses at a scrutiny meeting last night, said: "As a representative of pensioners, I am very disappointed in this move.

"Although I read that the post office say it has worked elsewhere, it will not a success here and is just another move towards the decimation of the post office.

"The service, as we grew up to know, is changing beyond belief.

"The pensioners being affected by this as the poorest members of society and I am very concerned.

"Siting it on the first floor, whether or nor there is a lift, is not a good idea.

"The most vulnerable in our society are being badly treated."

When the move takes place some time in the next 15 months, it will mean eight service counters in operation rather than 12.

Craig Tuthill, senior manager at the Post Office, defended the move by saying it was vital to safeguard the future of the service.

He also confirmed the Worcester relocation would not lead to any compulsory redundancies.

Mr Tuthill said: "The post office network is losing £70m pounds a year, and we have very high overheads.

"These are big numbers, and it's our job to turn it around.

"We have one shareholder, the Government, and it wants us to turn it around by 2011.

"In Worcester, we see this as an opportunity to team up with a very good retailer in a very good High Street location.

"We are desperate to balance the books, it's as simple as that. There will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of it."

The Worcester branch is one of 70 nationwide being relocated into a nearby WHSmith.

Mr Tuthill added there are 15 other branches that may have to close because relocation was unsuitable.