ONLY one member of post office counter staff at Worcester's main branch in Foregate Street took strike action yesterday in a row over pay.

The walkout, from 6am to noon, was originally expected to have involved up to 12 members of staff.

A spokesman said: "We minimised the impact by keeping all the crown post offices open during this time.

"We also advised our customers that all sub-post offices remained unaffected.

"Post Office Ltd would like to apologise to all customers for any disruption in service during this time."

The strike followed an earlier strike by Royal Mail workers on Friday, which saw 600 workers in Worcestershire walk out.

Brendan Allen, branch secretary of the Worcester and Hereford Communications and Workers Union, said: "It is the second part of the strikes in the disputes over pay," he said.

Mr Allen said the strike was also partly because of plans to close 85 so-called crown offices and move services to WHSmith stores, including in Worcester.

The union regards the WHSmith move as privatisation and has warned that 1,500 jobs will be axed and workers who remain will suffer pay and pensions cuts worth thousands of pounds.