THIRTEEN post offices in Teesside may be closed by August.

The Post Office is considering closing four in Middlesbrough, four in Hartlepool, four in the Stockton area and one in Guisborough.

The Cleveland Pensioners Forum group condemned the plan yesterday, saying closures would be hard on old people.

The Post Office made its proposals yesterday in the latest stage of a nationwide restructuring programme of its 9,000 urban post offices.

A spokesman said that if the proposals were accepted the post offices would shut in August.

He said there were 66 urban post offices in Teesside, and argued that without the 13 closures the remaining post offices would not be viable.

David Mellows-Facer, head of the Northern area for the Post Office, said: "The harsh reality is that many urban offices are struggling to survive because their area has too many branches for the amount of business."

A spokesman for Postwatch, the statutory watchdog for postal services, said it would be examining whether there was a need for the closures during a six-week consultation period.

Judith Donovan, chairman of Postwatch Northern Region, said: "We will try to identify whether customers in these areas will still have access to post office services if these offices close."

Mike Findlay, secretary of the Cleveland Pensioners Forum, said: "Post Offices are vital to the community and especially pensioners who often struggle to get into town. We are against closure."

Those under threat are:

Middlesbrough: Acklam Road PO, Acklam Road; Eastbourne Road PO, West Lane; Shelton Court PO, Shelton Court; Newport PO, West Lane; Hartlepool: Belle Vue PO, Sydenham Road; Central Estate PO, Mansepool Close; Seaton Lane Estate PO, Jutland Road; Thornhill Gardens PO, Hart Lane;

Stockton: Fairfield PO, Upsall Grove; Hartburn PO, Hartburn Village; Billingham: Low Grange PO, Low Grange Avenue; Eaglescliffe: Eaglescliffe PO, Station Road; Guisborough: Hutton Lane PO, Esk Close.

* The date for the end of the consultation period is Monday, June 7. Postwatch is interested in hearing from people affected by the proposed closures. It can be contacted on 08456 013265.