After the last wave of post office closures earlier this year, which saw 11 branches closed in Calderdale, including Portsmouth and Shade in Todmorden, subpostmasters have again stepped up their campaign to save the Post Office Card Account (POCA) contract. The government was due to make a decision on the contract this summer but that decision has been delayed again, prolonging the uncertainty for subpostmasters throughout the country.

If the government decide to award the contract to an outside body another 3,000 branches could face closure, with nearly 6,000 people losing their jobs, warned Todmorden postmaster Roger Spencer.

"If the Post Office loses the card account contract the footfall through the doors will drop significantly, which will mean the post offices will be under threat of closure again," said Mr Spencer, who highlights the threats to security if the contract is awarded to an organisation, such as Paypoint, which now administers the television licence.

"We are used to handling large amounts of money and we have the security facilities to deal with it but if this contract went to Paypoint in corner shops they don't have the facilities to deal with the amounts necessary."

But his greatest concern was for the customers.

"There are many people who don't have a bank account and with the state of the banking system at the moment people don't trust them. We also keep an eye out for people; it's the human contact that's important," added Mr Spencer.

Currently the POCA is used by more than four million people to access state pensions and benefits at their local post offices and accounts for up to 20 per cent of subpostmasters' pay.

The National Federation of Subpostmasters has sent every UK post office a poster urging customers to lobby their Member of Parliament (MP) about the importance of retaining the contract. Customers have been able to voice their concerns by filling in forms, which their local post office has sent to their MP.

Calder Valley MP Chris McCafferty said she had received 400 letters, many from the Todmorden area, from her constituents, who were very concerned.

"I believe the Post Office should keep the contract because the key to making the post offices successful is listening to the people who use them. A lot of people have chosen to access their money through the Post Office Card Accounts. I understand about the tender but we should not ignore these people."

In May Mrs McCafferty signed an Early Day Motion (EDM), which stated it "recognises the Post Office is best placed to provide this service because of its unrivalled geographical reach, its status as a trusted brand and its ability to offer customers a seamless transition." There are now 265 MP's signatures on the EDM.

There is a lot of support for the post offices and residents are upset by the prospect of losing their local branch in Walsden as postmistress Belinda Rawlinson explained: "This is causing a lot of anguish.