RESIDENTS who fought to save a Darlington post office have been told it will close next month.

Hundreds of people in Firthmoor signed a petition opposing the closure of the post office in Brignall Moor Crescent.

But Royal Mail announced on Thursday it would have to shut on March 25 to 'safeguard' the future of other post offices in the town.

Resident Bert Savage, 66, said: "They are supposed to be regenerating this estate and a post office should be the main part of anything like that.

"They spend £2m on a new school and other things but then take away an integral piece of the community."

Darlington Borough Council leader John Williams also opposed the closure. He said: "It's extremely regrettable that the Post Office has decided to take a backwards step at a time when so much good work is being done to regenerate the area."

From April 2003, the Government will begin paying benefits and pensions directly into people's bank accounts, which will drastically reduce business for small post offices.

Royal Mail area spokesman David Mellows-Facer said there were too many post offices in Darlington competing for too little business.

"We received a number of comments about the proposal to close Firthmoor post office and the main issues raised were around the convenience of alternative branches and the effect on the elderly community.

"We carefully considered the points raised. However, following this exercise, we still believe that the closure of this branch is the correct course of action." He said branches in Yarm Road, Geneva Road and Crown Street were ready to cope with extra customers.

Firthmoor sub postmaster Robert Smith, 55, whose father Alan first opened the post office, said he was saddened but had agreed to the closure.

"I was involved in the decision from the start. I've been here 20 years and my father 12 years before that, so I definitely feel sorry about leaving.

"The post office is part of the community but we worked out the financial position and realised it's not going to be a viable business."