Today's Government lifeline for Post Offices follows a concerted campaign in their defence, backed by the Evening Press and its army of readers, as Mike Laycock reports

IT took only one day to tell that our Counter Attack campaign had struck a chord with readers.

Dozens of coupons started arriving in the post on the morning after the campaign was launched, signed by people from across North Yorkshire.

They believed, like this paper, that sub-post offices were vital to their communities, providing crucial local services to local people - particularly the elderly.

They felt their disappearance would be a terrible blow to country life, but also to people in urban areas.

More than 1,000 people backed the campaign over subsequent weeks, and in April we marched on London, accompanied by notorious highwayman Dick Turpin, to hand over the coupons.

Turpin, aka York actor Richard Batty, went to Downing Street to declare to Tony Blair: "The people of North Yorkshire are appealing to you to stop the daylight robbery of our post offices."

That message now appears to have been heeded.

What North Yorkshire customers and postmasters said in support of our campaign.

Pam Elam, postmistress at Kellington, near Selby, after the march on London: "London was absolutely packed with people wanting to stop this Bill, and the Government has to listen."

Bishopthorpe mother Helen Olley: "I personally value my post office enormously and would be greatly saddened if it were to go. I feel after a visit that I am part of an active and caring community in which people meet daily and exchange a few words."

Ian Hughes, sub-postmaster at Terrington: "There are much wider issues than loss of income. If somebody doesn't come in to pick up their papers, my alarm bells start ringing - we are always watching out for people."

Gladys Walker, customer at Huntington: "We really enjoy our friendly welcome from the staff and we see all our friends here."

Vanessa Bellwood-Collier, sub-postmistress at Albemarle Road Post Office, South Bank, York: "Many people need our help with bill payments, pensions, application forms and a wealth of other things. These services are just not available in a bank."

Catherine Milner, customer at Huntington: "I like the personal touch of collecting a pension."