PAGANHILL pensioners turned out in force on Friday to call for a reprieve for their post office which is due to be axed at the end of this year.

Politicians from across the political spectrum also showed up for the demonstration outside the Stratford Road One Stop.

Supermarket giant Tesco is due to take over the Paganhill store and has said it will not be running a post office as the counter takes up too much space.

Although it has offered support to anyone wanting to set up a post office nearby residents claim there is no other suitable spot.

The store's forecourt was crowded on Friday morning at scores of customers, many waving angry placards urged Tesco to think again.

Stroud MP David Drew said: "This is a viable business and they've got a massive store just round the corner which doesn't have a post office."

"I would have thought it would be useful for them to add another string to their bow." Neil Carmichael, the Tory's candidate for next year's general election, said: "We're launching the defence of this post office.

"We want to make it clear that closing yet another post office will be a disaster, We've already seen too many close."

Stroud's mayor and ward councillor Kevin Cranston was also at the demonstration. "I strongly believe that local services do need to be provided," he told the SNJ. "It's pretty unfortunate timing when Tesco has just reported profits of £822 million."

Ward councillor Hadyn Sutton who is spear-heading the campaign said: "Almost all businesses have a loss leader.

"Even if they don't think the post office will make them money it will bring a lot of people through the door."

Paganhill resident Stephen Rice, representing his sick father Gofrey, said the parish pensioners would be stuck without the post office.

Steve Penny, one of the organisers of the demonstration, clambered onto the railings outside the shop and said: "Let it be said that Paganhill is where the worm turned."

"We sincerely hope it does not come to a fight but if it does I know we will win as long as we stand together and do our bit."

Tesco spokesman Steve Gracey said the company recognised post office closures were an emotive issue but everything was being done to try to find an alternative site for the Paganhill branch.

"It comes down to space," he said. "We don't have rubber walls and sometimes we're not able to fit everything people want."