And community representatives were left stunned when a post office official confirmed that the company is not considering the wishes of sub-postmasters as part of the consultation.

The accusations were made at a public meeting in Morpeth's County Hall, attended by Post Office Ltd representatives and county councillors, as well as parish councillors and members of the public.

Under the proposals four post offices in south east Northumberland have been earmarked for closure – Bates Cottages, Holywell; College Place, Ashington; Nelson Village, Cramlington and Scotland Gate, Choppington.

Matt Silcock, senior external relations manager at Post Office Ltd, said the company is part of a competitive environment and as a result of an earlier consultation it was decided that 2,500 branches should close nation-wide, which means approximately 18 per cent of post offices in the north east.

He said: "We need to get the post office network on an even keel again.

"We are looking that the access is such that customers stay within the network and the government has set very clear access criteria for this."

Mr Silcock said access criteria is particularly strict within rural areas in terms of distance and transport.

However, network development manager Adrian Wales confirmed they are not taking sub-postmasters' wishes into consideration.

"We have
spoken to all the sub-postmasters, some are happy, some are less so," he said.

"Their individual wishes are not part of the criteria we consider.

"Where we have got things wrong we want people to tell us – we have made changes at every stage."

Meeting chairman Coun Peter Jackson was one of many expressing concerns over the six-week public consultation.

"It doesn't really give us much time," he said.

"If we are going to do something we have to do it now, we need to take action now and the council is facing up to that responsibility."

Blyth Valley councillor Lesley Rickerby added: "So much has been taken away and if post offices go we are taking the heart out of the community.

"It would have been so nice if you had come to the council first," she told the post office officials.

"Part of the unitary bid was that we were to be closer the community.

"We can't do this in a very short period of time.

"We are here to try and help but we have a long journey to go on."

Coun Jonathan Aynsley, chairman of Wallington Demesne Parish Council, said: "I'm a little surprised to see Scots Gap on the closure list at all.

"It is absolutely laughable that the nearest post office is in Kirkwhelpington.

"Do you expect someone on a zimmer frame to go to Kirkwhelpington?"

And Coun David Parker, of Castle Morpeth Borough Council, attacked the proposal to close two out of three post offices in his area when there is already a question mark over the third remaining open.