By Catherine Marston BBC News

Plans are afoot to close 2,500 post offices nationwide. The post office in the village of Burton Fleming in East Yorkshire is one of those facing closure. How would its closure affect local people?

Villagers say Burton Fleming's post office is vital to the community

Godfrey Coleman is the oldest person in the village of Burton Fleming.

He has lived here all his life and has seen the area change almost beyond recognition.

He says the post office has been an essential part of life for as long as he can recall - as well as offering the usual services, it fulfils a vital social role.

Everyone knows each other and staff at the post office know when someone is due to visit to collect their pension or withdraw money.

It's totally frustrating that all these people's voices, all their comments, all the reasons why they feel the post office should stay, are not being listened to Tony Gibson

If a resident does not visit at their usual time, the staff raise the alarm and other residents check on that person.

It's also a meeting place in Burton Fleming.

With no pub and only a village hall, the post office is often the place for a chat.

'Reliant and dependent'

Godfrey, like many of the pensioners in the village, fears losing the post office will mean losing his independence.

He has mobility problems and there is virtually no public transport to get him to other post offices in the area.

If the post office closes, he will need to rely on the kindness of neighbours; he feels upset to think that means he will become dependent.

Godfrey Coleman fears for the loss of his independence

"You become absolutely reliant," he explains.

And it's not just the elderly who fear the closure will change village life.

In such a cut-off area teenagers, especially, worry they will be more isolated than ever.

Sixteen-year-old Philip Wells has become actively involved in the village campaign to save the post office.

Changing times

He fears that if it closes the heart of the community will go with it.

"For younger people, well, there will be nothing," he warns.

"This will just be a place to live, there's no connectivity, there's nothing there.

"And I think that's an absolutely terrible thing to happen - village life will not be as it is."

The government says just 4,000 post offices make money and that more than 80% of the rural network is not profitable.

The Post Office says people are just not using the branches in the same way as in the past.

Teenager Philip Wells has been campaigning for his post office

People now use online accounts and pay bills over the phone or by computer. That means some single transactions cost the post office �8.

Adrian Wells is overseeing the changes in East Yorkshire and other areas for the Post Office.

He stresses that those areas losing their post offices are being offered alternatives - such as outreach services, where a post office will be set up for a few hours each week in village halls and other locations.

But he also says he recognises the loyalty people have to their branch.

"I don't think anyone wants to see post offices close," he says.

"But times are changing and the Post Office has to reflect those changes."

In vain?

Burton Fleming will find out on Monday if the village is to lose what it sees as a vital feature of its community.

Tony Gibson has been running the village campaign to save the post office.

He has collected hundreds of signatures on a petition and letters of complaint.

But he fears the decision has really already been made and the campaign will not change the village's fate.