Maureen Ross was one of six Soothill locals who provided case-studies to convince Post Office Ltd to reverse its decision to close the branch in Soothill Lane.

But last week it was announced that the Soothill and Bradford Road branches would close, along with Staincliffe.

The post office in Savile Town, Dewsbury, was the only one to have the closure decision reversed.

She said: "It's totally disgusting. They have now taken Soothill's postbox out as well. There was only that one in the whole of Soothill. I'm totally gutted.

"The post office in Savile Town has been saved but our case was stronger than theirs. Savile Town has a regular bus service, every seven minutes."

She said the Soothill committee carried out its own count of customers using post office services at the branch and results showed Post Office Ltd hugely underestimated figures.

Mrs Ross said: "It is as though they made their mind up before the consultation took place."

But Post Office Ltd said it had to axe branches which were losing money and where people had alternative branches to go to within half a mile.

Mrs Ross said the town centre main post office is almost a mile away, not half a mile, and non-car owners couldn't afford to get a taxi into town.

She said the elderly, disabled and young mums were the main victims of the closure.

The Soothill committee found Soothill was one of the most poverty-stricken boroughs in the country and Lower Soothill was in the top 15 per cent for income deprivation in the country.

Car ownership in the area is below the national average.

Buses from Soothill to the town centre are only one an hour and there are no shelters along the route.

Six case-studies used in their report showed how the elderly and disabled would find it impossible to walk into town.

Soothill Lane is a steep road, there is another steep hill to go up towards the town centre and busy Bradford Road has no pedestrian crossing facilities.

The journey to the Mount Pleasant branch would be even more difficult.

Local businesses nearby relied on the Soothill branch for safe cash banking and sending off large parcels.

The report found the Soothill branch was essential for many who collect benefits and pensions, pay bills and buy small items.

More than 150 people turned up to a public meeting arranged at the last minute and 859 locals signed a protest petition.