Keighley's MP has told Royal Mail that people will not be fooled by any strategy to slowly erode the district's postal provision.

Mrs Cryer was reacting to plans to axe four of the area's post offices: at Bradford Road in Stockbridge, Belgrave Road in Highfield, Main Road in East Morton, and the part-time post office in Farnhill Institute.

These form part of a proposal to scrap 2,500 branches across the country. The consultation period for Keighley people wanting to register their views on the plans, finishes on January 17.

In a letter to the Royal Mail Group, Mrs Cryer said it was "disingenuous" to cite closeness to Keighley's town centre post office as a valid reason for cutbacks.

She said: "If I am not mistaken, it was the existence of the Highfield post office that was used to justify the closure of another post office - in Braithwaite - in the last round of closures.

"It is disingenuous of the Post Office to continue to rely on this argument. It suggests that there is a long-term strategy of closure and, rather than biting the bullet and coming clean, the post office has adopted a policy of steady erosion.

"No one will be fooled by such a strategy."

She added she understood the post office in East Morton was now served by only a handful of regular customers so it might not be economically viable.

However, she said there was good reason to fight to keep the Bradford Road post office open, despite it being only one mile from the town centre facility.

"This post office serves a large area of Keighley - Stockbridge," she said. "It is a busy office and the postmaster believes that it is a viable business that has the possibility of further development."

Bradford Council's Conserv-ative leader, Councillor Kris Hopkins, said he was "appalled" by the closure plans. He said the issue was due to be discussed by the council's executive on Tuesday.

Cllr Hopkins, who is the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Keighley, said: "Over the last 12 months, my Conservative colleagues and I have led a very strong campaign against these closures and received strong public support for our effort.

"However, in a stroke of a pen, Labour ministers have simply decided to ignore these views and proceed as planned."

Customers wanting to know more about Post Office Ltd's plans can do so online at www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange or by phoning 08457 223344.