The villagers of Scole learned yesterday that they has lost the fight to save their post office.Despite a petition of more than 1400 signatures, over 500 customer letters, supporting documents, and a protest attended by rock legend Rick Wakeman, the post office has been told it must close.

The villagers of Scole learned yesterday that they has lost the fight to save their post office.

Despite a petition of more than 1400 signatures, over 500 customer letters, supporting documents, and a protest attended by rock legend Rick Wakeman, the post office has been told it must close.

Postmistress Kim Charles said she was distraught after being notified of the news over the telephone on Tuesday.

She received a letter confirming the closure yesterday, which asked her not to make the decision public until an official announcement is made next Tuesday.

She said: “They have told me not to tell anyone, but I don't care. This makes me really mad. They can't do anything more to me. They are ripping the heart out of communities.

“I think the way they have gone about this is absolutely disgraceful. They told me over the phone and didn't even have the decency to send someone in person. They have no respect. To me it seemed like there was someone sitting there ticking them off a list.

“This is going to have a major impact on all types of people within the village. Post Office Ltd has continued in their draconian onslaught of the very fabric of the rural way of life, proving that they have no soul and care nothing for people. Their adverts are a farce.”

Mrs Charles said that she will do her best to keep the village shop going.

“There is nothing to say that because the post office is going the shop will have to go as well,” she said. “We will now be looking at different ways of using the space here and looking at what the people of Scole would like.”

A banner has been mounted in the shop to give customers the sad news.

Mr Wakeman, a strong supporter of Scole post office, said yesterday: “I am absolutely gutted and just disgusted with the political system on both a local and a national level. I always used to be quite a political animal, but no longer. If you cannot get support for the areas where you live in the country from the people who run it I do not really feel obliged to help support them. I will continue to support anything on a local level like village fetes and community events, but anything on a local or national government level I just withdraw from.”

Mr Wakeman, who estimates he spends about £20,000 a year through the Post Office, has made contingency plans to courier his post from now on.

He added: “I just think it is an absolute disgrace not just for us, but for lots of other people in other villages. It doesn't surprise me. When the next elections come round I do not think it is even worth voting.”