A POST office due to be sold could never again throw its doors open, fear the current owners.

John and Dorothy Dunn believe Post Office Ltd's decision to slash opening hours of the Old Post Office in Newcastle Road, Hough from 35 to 17.5 hours per week will put off potential buyers.

The privately owned business is up for grabs at £250,000 after the couple announced their plan to retire.

But they fear no buyers will want to take over the post office under the new business opening hours and the village will be robbed of a vital service.

Mr Dunn, 66, said: 'Although the office is not being closed by Post Office Ltd, we feel this is just a technicality since the new terms of

17.5 hours-a-week would only be attractive to a small portion of the business market.

'It is making it difficult for us to sell it as a viable business and we are extremely disappointed it has resulted in this measure.'

The entire property - residence, post office and shop - is offered for sale as a business with family sized accommodation or conversion to residence only.

Mr and Mrs Dunn reopened the post office in 1998 and, since then, sale reports have shown an annual increase over the past five years.

At present it is open from 9am-1pm and 2.30-5.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 9am-12.30pm Thursday and Saturday.

Mr Dunn added: 'We would hope that someone with a bit of community spirit would come forward to keep the village alive and help the elders keep their independence.

'It has been a thriving little business but we feel it is time to retire.

'We have made many friends in the village and know how important this service is to them so we are doing our best to find a buyer.'

Despite campaigns to save them, post offices have closed in Willaston village centre and at West Street, Crewe and Heath Road, Sandbach.

A spokeswoman for Post Office Ltd said: 'We appreciate the hard work done by the current owners at Hough Post Office who have built the business to its current level.

'But we are a commercial organisation and, in line with our need to be efficient, we have reviewed the number of hours the post office should be open, based on the business it does and 17.5 hours matches the level of customer demand in this particular office.'