Seven post offices in our area have spent the last three months with the axe hanging over them, and today it emerged that just one has been given a last-minute reprieve.

The decision, which will leave thousands of people without vital services, comes despite The Evening Telegraph's Hands Off Our Post Office campaign, which was backed by MPs, city councillors and Peterborough residents.

The New England and Woodston branches in the city, and at Ramsey St Mary, Great Gidding, Holme and St Peters Road, in March, will all be closed as part of the cost-cutting measures introduced by the Post Office this year.

The only branch originally on the hit-list that has been saved is West Town Post Office, in Mayor's Walk.

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MP for North-West Cambridgeshire Shailesh Vara in whose constituency the Holme, Ramsey St Mary's, Great Gidding and Woodston branches fall, said today: "This is very bad news for Peterborough and the surrounding communities.

"Local communities have put up excellent campaigns, and it is a great shame that the Government has ignored them.

"This will further erode local communities, and particularly affect the elderly and the vulnerable."

Mr Vara had backed the Hands Off Our Post Office campaign petition which was signed by more than 2,000 people and handed in at No 10 Downing Street.

The sub-post masters affected by the news said they were unable to comment about the closures.

However, amongst the gloom there was delight at the Mayor's Walk branch, as sub-post master Roger Underhill, who has run the branch for the past 21 years, spoke of his relief.

He said: "I would like to thank all the customers who have supported us through this very difficult time, and am sure that it was the effort they made that has helped us remain open.

"We explained to the customers what we needed to do, and to get the facts over to the Post Office, and that is what they did. I am absolutely delighted."

The branch falls in Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson's constituency, and he said: "I'm delighted that our pleas have been listened to by the Post Office.

"The huge turnout for the public meeting in West Town in July showed that if we were united as a community and put a reasonable case to save this valuable local resource, we had a good chance of winning the argument.

"I would like to thank all those in the city who have backed the campaign, including The ET, and congratulations to Roger Underhill for his hard work and commitment."

Cllr Matthew Dalton, who represents the West Ward, was also "delighted" with the outcome and said he was pleased the community had made the Government and Post Office re-think the closure.

To celebrate the reprieve, Mr Underhill has invited all his customers to a special party on Friday, between 10am and 3pm.

More on PeterboroughToday.co.uk:
More on the post office closures and our campaign: Hands Off Our Post Offices.