A PETITION against the proposed closure of a Westcliff post office has been signed by more than 1,000 residents.

Up to 3,000 customers who use the branch at Argosy Toys, in London Road, will be left in the lurch if the branch is closed in September.

David Amess, Tory MP for Southend West, presented the petition to the House of Commons.

He said: “Given that the constituency has the greatest concentration of senior citizens in the country, if this post office were to close, it would be devastating for the local community.”

The petition was organised by Chalkwell Residents’ Association and the Residents’ Association of Westborough, which has also been handing out questionnaires to homes in the area.

David Glover, vice chairman of the Residents Association of Westborough, said the branch was well used by local businesses, who would feel the strain if it were to close.

He added: “We want either for the post office not to close or have it replaced with another post office in the area.”

One option that has been put forward is for St Andrew’s Church, in Southview Drive, Westcliff, to become a home for a new sub-post office.

The vicar, Stuart Kimber, said he would be delighted, but wanted to know more details about how the scheme would work.