DIFFICULTIES faced by sub postmasters across west Wiltshire have been raised with MP Andrew Murrison.

He visited Curt Eijvergard at Boreham Post Office on Friday. Also attending the briefing were Janet Bick, branch president, Jerry Lewis, branch secretary, of the National Federation of Sub postmasters, and committee member Bill Sherman, of Trowbridge Road Post Office in Bradford on Avon.

Dr Murrison said: "Sub post offices lie at the heart of the communities that I represent. Many are facing closure at great cost to local people, particularly the less well off, people without transport and those in rural areas."

The branch is concerned at the rate sub post offices in Wiltshire are closing.

Post offices traditionally survive with the help of payments for handling benefits but the Government wants to pay these straight into people's bank accounts from April 2003.

The MP is concerned about the effect this will have on small businesses.