A Telford post office was axed today despite a big campaign to save it. Campaigners had hoped that Randlay Post Office would be given a reprieve.But today Post Office Lt confirmed the branch was to be closed.

The decision will come as a severe blow to residents, who displayed “unprecedented opposition” to the closure.

Twenty-eight Shropshire branches were placed on a closure hit-list in April and last month it was announced 13 would close, 13 would be replaced by outreach services and Greenfields Post Office in Shrewsbury would be saved.

Staff at Randlay were told there would be further consultation on their branch but now the decision has been made to close it.

Sub-postmaster Sarwan Singh said: “Everybody’s disappointed but the decision has been made. Everybody will be upset. We thou- ght we had a good chance of keeping the post office open but now that’s gone.”

Campaigner Councillor Tom Biggins, the Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Telford, said the decision was “unjustified”, saying it would cause “imm- ense hardship”.

“I am extremely shocked that the overwhelming public support and massive strength of local opinion to keep Randlay open has just been ignored by the Prime Minister and by Post Office Ltd. I feel that our opinions have stood for absolutely nothing and have been trampled roughshod over.

“Unprecedented opposition to the closure of Randlay Post office was backed by particularly strong argum- ents for its long-term preservation.”

Mark Partington, of Post Office Ltd, said the closure was needed to put the network on a “more stable footing for the future.”