POST offices across Crewe are under threat as part of a massive cost-cutting drive about to hit the country.

Royal Mail has told the Government it could shut 10,000 outlets and still run a viable commercial service.

Town and rural branches across South Cheshire now face an agonising wait to see if the axe will fall on them following a major announcement tomorrow.

The area has seen a number of branches close despite hard fought campaigns by customers and Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council.

Now its Tory leader, Brian Silvester, has pledged to fight any further cuts in the area, which has already suffered the loss of a string of branches.

He said: 'Post Offices are the lifeblood of our community yet since 1999, Crewe and Nantwich has lost nine branches and 4,000 have closed their doors across the country.

'Now the Government is warning of further cuts, potentially meaning that up to 3,000 more rural and urban branches could shut their doors nationwide.

'Schemes like the ending of the post office card account, moves to get people to renew their car tax on-line and preventing people from renewing their TV licences at post offices will undermine post offices even more and put more out of business.'

His group is launching a campaign to protect the area's branches while calling for a long-term strategy to improve the national network.

During 2004, campaigners led doomed battles to prevent the closure of post offices in West Street, Crewe, Wistaston Road, Willaston, Barony Road, Nantwich, Heath Road, Sandbach and Audley Road, Alsager.

In Nantwich, Independent county councillor Arthur Moran is warning the Government to keep its hands off the town's remaining post offices.

The town fears for urban post offices including Millstone Lane, Meeanee Drive and Pepper Street and rural branches such as Worleston and Audlem.

Royal Mail says the future size of the network depends on the Government's level of funding.

A Department of Trade and Industry spokesman confirmed an announcement will be made this week.

He added: 'We recognise the wider social role of the post office in communities.

'But people are not using post offices as much as they did as little as five years ago.'