Customers are being forced to wait for up to half an hour in post office queues which tail back to the front door after the number of checkout staff was cut.

The news of the lengthy waits comes weeks after campaigners failed to persuade the Post Office to keep open six counters in Kingston, New Malden, Surbiton and Worcester Park.

Elderly customers outside Martin's newsagent in Victoria Road, Surbiton, were lining up this week to detail their experiences - which they believe will only get worse with less post offices.

Chairman of the Kingston Pensioners Forum, former mayor Douglas Reynolds, said: "You can be half an hour in the queue and they tell you the post offices are losing money. I don't see it."

To read more about the effect of post office closures read Wednesday's Surrey Comet.