A Commons Trade and Industry committee report says that action must be taken to stop Post Offices from disappearing - or the benefits they have for local communities could be lost forever.

The report points out the importance attached to the Post Office card account - used by people on benefits and pensions to access their money - which is being withdrawn, the BBC reported.

It follows a four million signature petition handed into Downing Street earlier this month by the National Federation of SubPostmasters (NFSP), which demanded action to protect the future of Rural Post offices.