CAMPAIGNERS fighting to safeguard the future of post offices across West Somerset and the country say they have been overwhelmed by the public's support.

At least 2,500 people have signed a petition launched by Williton sub-postmasters Brian and Caroline Tyner calling for DVLA services - the car licensing division -to continue to be handled by post offices.

The Government's decision to put the services out to tender means post offices currently providing the facility could lose vital business if Post Office Ltd fails to win the contract.

But the ten-year deal, which could be worth around £650 million, could also bring in a range of other work for post offices, helping to secure their viability.

Brian and Caroline Tyner, who have run Williton post office for the past six years, have led the campaign locally and handed over the petition and dozens of special campaign postcards to West Somerset's MP Ian Liddell-Grainger this week.

"We are really, really pleased with the response," said Mr Tyner.

"We only started the petition a few weeks ago and virtually everyone who has come into the post office has signed it.

"The level of support is tremendous and people are genuinely jumping up and down about this and some of them have even written directly to Mr Liddell-Grainger."

Mr Tyner, who estimates that losing the DVLA work would lead to a 20 per cent cut in his business, also handed Mr Liddell-Grainger a letter asking him to take action to support the campaign.

In it he points out that £1.3 billion has been allocated by the Government to upgrade some post offices and pay out others.

"To follow this with the removal of the DVLA services would result in thousands of post offices going bankrupt," he said.

"The public will wonder if the Government has any idea what it is doing."

Mr Tyner also said many small post offices were already bankrupt and could neither sell nor get out of their businesses.

Losing the DVLA work could mean 50 per cent of remaining sub postmasters would also go bankrupt.

"Sub postmasters have had a declining income over the past six years, despite the fact that our overheads have continued to rise.

"The Government has taken TV licensing, National Savings and Investments from us and now Green Giro payments are about to go.

"How on earth do they expect us to keep going?"

The National Federation of Sub-Postmasters has warned that more than 5,000 post offices nationally could be forced to close if the DVLA contract goes to another contractor.

Mr Tyner has asked Mr Liddell-Grainger to lobby Transport Secretary Justine Greening to ensure the contract is awarded to Post Office Ltd and Minister Nick Hurd asking him to support efforts to win new Government work for post offices.

And he also wants him to speak to Prime Minister David Cameron.

"I want Mr Cameron to take notice of what is happening up and down the country to one of the most vital and integral parts of community life," said Mr Tyner.

"Once post offices have gone they will not return."