A STAFF crisis at a town centre post office has become so bad that Bury South MP Ivan Lewis is inviting potential applicants to contact him direct.

The West Street branch has been hit by a second closure within just three months.

It has now been closed for almost four weeks with the Post Office still no nearer to finding a temporary sub postmaster to serve the frustrated public who have been forced to travel to other post offices.

The sub-postmaster was suspended pending an internal investigation. He had been brought in to replace sub-postmistress, Kelly Singh, who was suspended at the start of July after an investigation was launched by bosses into allegations of maladministration. She was later sacked.

Mr Lewis said: "I continue to be in contact with the Post Office but there still seems to be no satisfactory outcome.

"I'm now asking anyone locally with experience of running a post office to contact me to see whether there would be a possibility of them helping out to run Radcliffe on a temporary basis"

The Post Office has refused to elaborate on the exact details of the latest suspension, saying further inquiries were continuing.

Mr Lewis said: "I remain dissatisfied that the Post Office has failed to find anybody suitable."

Mr Lewis can be contacted on 773 5500.