Catherine Perrott says she would be ashamed to collect her pension

The elderly residents in Seaside were re-directed to a branch with a steep step at the entrance after their local post office shut last week.

A bell has been fitted to the outside of New Dock Post Office and if they want to collect their pensions or buy stamps they ring it and someone comes outside to help.

Angered by their treatment, pensioners are now asking friends or relatives to collect their money because they fear being mugged.

It's degrading - I would be too ashamed to be paid on the pavement Protester Catherine Perrott

Catherine Perrott, who uses a motorised wheelchair, use to pick up her pension at the old post office next to her at the Llys Glanymor complex but refuses to go to New Dock.

"It's degrading - I would be too ashamed to be paid on the pavement," she said.

"I'm fortunate - I've got a large family to help me but not everyone has got that.

"You press the bell and the man comes out and you give him your pension book.

A step at the entrance to the post office stops wheelchair users going in

"Everyone can see what is happening because you are outside and there is usually a queue."

The Post Office says it shut the Seaside branch last Wednesday because it was not doing enough business and New Dock is less than half a mile away.

The company has inquired about putting a ramp at New Dock but has been told the pavement is too narrow.

"Courting trouble"

The Seaside Residents Association fought the closure of their branch and vowed to continue protesting until a new service is provided.

Association vice-chairman Robert Thomas said even if New Dock had disabled access it was still too far for many of the elderly in Seaside, which has two pensioners' complexes, to travel.

"We have no quibbles with the post master down there as he has taken hammering but it's not his fault," he said.

"But there is no access to the Dock Post Office and to ask them to wait outside in view of everyone with no shelter is disgusting.

"There are some unscrupulous people out their these days and when you consider they are being asked to collect their pensions in full view of everyone there could easily be a mugging.

Robert Thomas says the campaign for Seaside Post Office will continue

"It is degrading and it's courting trouble.

"The Seaside Post Office was the centre of our community and for now it has gone - but we are not going to give up."

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said: "The sub postmaster has been advised that he is unable to install a ramp to the premises.

"However, a bell near to the entrance door has been installed for the use of those customers requiring assistance from either himself or his staff.

"Two branches were suggested as alternatives to Seaside, both within a mile.

"In the case of Seaside, a declining number of customers, increased running costs, and the unknown effect on business following the transferring of benefit payments from passbooks to bank accounts, prompted the sub postmaster to want to leave our business."