PENSIONERS battling plans to move a post office to a new location at a busy filling station across a main road have vowed to keep fighting any change.

More than 1,000 signatures have been collected on a petition that will go to Post Office bosses, who are considering making the controversial move as part of a modernisation programme.

They all say they would not be able to use New Hey Post Office in New Hey Road, if it was moved to East Bowling service station on Wakefield Road.

Fears include having further to go, crossing a hazardous road and being put at greater risk from cars using the filling station and potentially becoming victims of crime.

Brian Towell, 73, the secretary of East Bowling Pensioners Club, has been using New Hey Post Office for the past three decades and is warning he and others will be exposed to more dangers if the move goes ahead.

"It's ridiculous. I don't know what those Post Office bosses are thinking. Hundreds of pensioners use that Post Office and like it where it is.

"If they move it to the petrol station they will be exposing us all to more dangers. Not only will we be taking our life into our hands crossing over that road but it's just not a safe area round there. There's drugs and all sorts."

Winifred Austin, 85, has also signed the petition and says she will be left heartbroken if the Post Office she has used for a big part of her life disappears.

"We don't want to lose it. I'm not alone - there are more than 1,000 people who have signed that petition to keep it where it is. Hopefully it will be taken seriously by those who are going to make the decision. All this talk of modernisation is useless. It was only modernised not so long ago, it's already like a little shop and the people who work there are so kind and so helpful," she said.

And she added: "Lots of people won't be able to use it if they move it. People can't walk,they need sticks. Why on earth would they want to put it in a petrol station where lots of cars come and go. It's a dangerous place, they get robbed. It could happen to us when we collect our pensions."

Nobody from the Post Office was available for comment.