A PETITION to save a Lake District honeypot town's post office has attracted more than 1,000 signatures.

Outdoor sports and clothing shop, Gaynor Sports, has lodged an application with the Lake District National Park Authority to demolish the present Ambleside Post Office building along with its redundant sorting office and build a new shop on the site.

Post Office Ltd has said it is committed to finding a new home for the town's post office if the plans to knock down the Market Place building get the go ahead.

But the proposals have caused consternation among some local people who fear that Ambleside could lose its only post office if the plans win approval.

So far, about six formal objections from members of the public have been submitted to the LDNPA against the application. And last week, Lakes Parish Council recommended the plans for refusal.

A petition organised by South Lakeland district councillor David Vatcher to save the service was also launched last week in Ambleside shops, and has so far attracted 1,100 signatures. It will be handed over to the LDNPA before it considers the plans.

Coun Vatcher said: "A place like Ambleside, that serves a large swathe of the countryside, does need a post office. The national park authority must make a condition on any planning permission they give that there is a continuity of service for the post office."