CABINET Minister Jack Straw joined the fight to save his local post office and said: "I don't understand why it should be closed."

The Blackburn MP spoke as campaigners opposing the proposed closure handed him a petition today.

Residents and business people from the Preston New Road area of Blackburn collected more than 1,200 signatures and a bundle of letters opposing the plans.

Speaking outside the post office, Mr Straw said he fully backed the calls of residents and the Lancashire Telegraph Save Our Post Offices campaign to save the branch.

A total of 592 people have signed the our petition against the closure of up to a quarter of East Lancashire's post offices.

Across the area, 24 offices face the axe after a six-week consultation which began on January 21, as the Post Office tries to reduce its £4 million-a-week losses.

After receiving the petition from residents, Mr Straw said he would do what he could to avert the closure of this well used branch.

He said: "I don't understand the case for this post office to be closed.

"I have been involved with cases like this over the years and I realise that a lot of post office traffic now goes through the internet.

"However, this post office serves a large number of residents and businesses in this area and is at the heart of the business district.

"This is my local post office in the town and my staff use it when they are at the office."

Mr Straw was greeted by the sight of councillors and residents holding up placards protesting against the plans of the Government to close the branch.

And Coun Dave Harling, the ward councillor on Blackburn with Darwen, said the Preston New Road branch played a vital role at the heart of the community.

He added: "This place is like the corner shop in the sense it is used by so many people for different things.

"There are lots of reasons to keep this open and is used by so many businesses and residents.

"Part of the reason to close those in Johnson and Addison Street was because this was open, what will we do if this goes?

"The size of our petition shows how much this post office means to people."