A WARNING has gone out to the Post Office not to make a "dangerous" mistake by relocating its Worcester branch to the first floor of WH Smiths.

Worcester MP Mike Foster has teamed up with a powerful watchdog to make a last ditch-plea for a change of heart.

Mr Foster and Jenny Hepworth, from Postwatch, insist the Post Office should listen to the public rather than move just to save cash.

It is 24 hours away from ending a public consultation on the decision to relocate the city's main branch to WH Smiths in the High Street.

Mr Foster said: "We went to the post office and spoke to customers, and I'd say one-in-three told us they would no longer use the Post Office to sort out their pensions if it moved.

"That can't be what the Post Office wants. If this decision has already been made, and it looks as if it has, it must provide ground floor access rather than have it on the first floor. Having it on the first floor is not suitable.

"I've had a look at the lift, and, frankly, it could be dangerous if more than one person required the use of it during a fire.

"We have to fight for the best deal for Worcester, and it is not beyond the wit of man to put it on the ground floor if it has to move."

As we reported in April, the Post Office is moving 70 branches nationwide into nearby WH Smith stores to save money.

Jenny Hepworth, of Postwatch, said: "We accept the Post Office is losing a lot of money, but any move must not be at the expense of the service."

The network is losing £70 million a year, and has been given until 2011 to stem the losses by the Government.

The Post Office has already confirmed the Worcester move will go ahead in the next 16 months, but launched a consultation period six weeks ago anyway to get opinion on it.

The move has received cross-party condemnation, with Conservative parliamentary candidate Robin Walker already collecting 1,000 signatures on a petition. A spokesman for the Post Office said: "Although the decision to move has already been taken, access to the store is a legitimate point and it's something we will be considering over the next few weeks."

The consultation will end at the close of business tomorrow.