THE campaign to save Northlew Post Office is now in full swing with villagers delivering a large scale protest that has not been witnessed anywhere else in the South West. Northlew residents turned out en masse at a public meeting last Thursday to demonstrate their anger at the proposals to close the post office and replace it with a mobile service. Close to 300 people attended the meeting — it was held in Northlew's village square after the sheer weight of numbers forced the organisers to move it from the village hall. Addressing the crowd from a hay wagon rigged with a public address system, Northlew parish councillor,Tom Doggett said: 'Northlew is really showing it cares. We now need to make sure everyone is doing all they can to save the post office.' Northlew resident Martin Perry added: 'It was an amazing demonstration of support for the post office. 'Cllr James McInnes, leader of West Devon Borough Council, told us the turnout was stunning and represented 90% of the population, according to the Post Office's figures, although the PO's figures are wildly inaccurate.' Cllr McInnes' comments were seconded by Postwatch representative Edward Vidler, who attended the meeting, and said he had not witnessed a bigger protest anywhere in the South West. Cllr McInnes was joined by the Liberal Democrat and Conservative prospective parliamentary candidates for Central Devon, Sally Morgan and Mel Stride, in speaking at the meeting. Said Cllr McInnes: 'The thing that hurts me the most is it should be 18% of post offices that are facing closure but in West Devon it's 28.2%, which is disgusting.' Sally Morgan praised the village for their efforts and assured them that Devon County Council will be fighting on their behalf . And Mel Stride, who has also written to the Times this week, urged villagers to write 'unique' letters and offered to take their campaign all the way to Downing Street. Northlew parish council, which is leading the protest, is putting together a document of evidence to illustrate its opposition to the proposed closure and the vital service the post office provides to Northlew. The document will demonstrate the inadequacies of the proposed outreach service, the difficulties in travelling to the next nearest branch in Highampton, the environmental costs of people having to travel to other branches, the huge groundswell of support in the village and the 'devastating' effect the closure of the post office would have on the community. People in Northlew are being strongly urged to write individually to the Post Office in order for the protest to have a greater impact. Mock gravestones, adorned with dead flowers, reading 'RIP Post Office, Northlew?' have now been placed at all the entrances to the village and individuals are being photographed outside the post office with signs pledging their support. More demonstrations took place on Tuesday when Northlew senior citizens gathered in force to stage a relay walk across the four miles to Highampton to demonstrate the impracticalities of using this service. Parish council chairman Mark Rundle said: 'We are told one of the main criteria used is that 95 per cent of people should live within three miles of a Post Office. 'If this closure goes ahead none of us will, we will all be in that five per cent. 'The Post Office also claim that 95 per cent can use online facilities to access services such as car tax. Without broadband we again find ourselves in the five per cent. 'Well, it maybe that 95 per cent of communities are taking this lying down but we are proud to be in the five per cent that are fighting back.'