TWO rural post offices turned into convenience stores will close after struggling to cope with the changes in the service they can offer.

Post offices in Hamsterley, near Bishop Auckland and in Ingleton, near Darlington, will shut on June 28 and July 10 respectively.

With nobody stepping forward to take over either shop, both villages will be without a post office.

Both sub-postmistresses have said that the Government's decision to pay pensions directly into bank accounts, rather than using the traditional pension book, has hit business.

Hazel Whitehead, sub-postmistress in Ingleton, said: "Its something that's happening everywhere - small businesses are really struggling.

"It's been a very, very hard decision to make and we've deliberated over it for the past two years. But at the end of the day it wasn't viable any more."

Julia Hunter, who has been sub-postmistress in Hamsterley for 14 years said: "The supermarkets, have taken lots of our business away from us - we just get passing trade now."

It is hoped that a mobile post office will be able to visit the villages.

Hamsterley councillor George Richardson said local people would now have to travel to Wolsingham, six miles away, if they wanted to use a post office.

A Post Office spokesman said: "We are aiming to fill the vacancies at Hamsterley and Ingleton post offices on a permanent basis.

"Should this not be possible, we would consider introducing a mobile post office service, subject to some technical considerations."