Local residents are furious that their post office could be turned into an outreach branch that would only be open for two three-hour periods a week in place of the six-day service currently provided.

Representatives from the Post Office who attended the meeting were grilled by local residents for more than 90 minutes about the ramifications of the proposed cutbacks with many people taking the opportunity to explain why they thought the changes were unsuitable.

Concern was expressed at the distance the sub-postmistress from Laurencekirk, who would also be covering the proposed outreach branches at Finzean, Strachan, Auchenblae and Johnshaven, would have to travel to provide the service at Lumphanan. Some worried that the service would be cut-off during the worst winter weather if the roads from Laurencekirk were blocked by snow.

Other residents asked why the Kincardine O'Neil post office was not considered for a reduced service instead of Lumphanan given its close proximity to Banchory and Aboyne.

The proposals were also criticised for not considering the large number of elderly people in the village, who rely on the post office for pensions and other day-to-day services.

The Royal Mail Group's external relations manager Connie Hewitt explained why the Post Office had made the decision to close 2,500 post offices across the UK, along with introducing 500 outreach branches.

She said: "We have four million fewer customers than two years ago and eight out of 10 pensioners now get their pensions through a bank or building society rather than at a post office. We have lost a lot of customers and that is why we have to make the changes."

However she said that there was still time for the proposals to be modified if residents from Lumphanan told the Post Office why the planned changes are not suitable.

"There is some flexibility and if you think there are different hours or days that would be better then let us know," she said. "We have changed our minds in the past.

"Some changes have been made but we need you to tell us why we are wrong. There are a lot of intelligent people here and there seems to be a lot of energy and a real will to do something about the changes and I think you can do it if you work together."

Sir Robert Smith MP, who organised the meeting that was chaired by Mike Rumbles MSP, urged local residents to raise their concerns by writing to the Post Office before the consultation period ends on Tuesday (July 8).

"The fact that so many people turned up clearly vindicated the point of having the meeting," he said. "It is very important in this short consultation period that people get their views into the Post Office as it is only by letting them know how you will be affected by the changes that there will be any chance of changing the outcome."

Alison McGregor, who will lose her job at Lumphanan Stores where the village's post office is located if it becomes an outreach service, handed over a petition signed by 414 people against the proposals, to Sir Robert Smith.

The West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP will present copies of the petition to the Post Office and Postwatch Scotland along with the comments and letters he has received opposing the changes.

A meeting was also held on the same night, at Finzean Village Hall for local residents to express their views on the post offices at Finzean and Strachan also being turned into outreach services.

More than 40 people attended and concerns were raised about the impact the changes would have on two local internet businesses that rely on the post office to distribute their goods.

It was also suggested that it would be more ideal if the sub-postmaster was based in either Aboyne or Banchory rather than Laurencekirk, to prevent someone having to cross the notorious B974 Cairn o'Mount road, which could be treacherous during the winter months.

Anyone who wishes to raise concerns about these changes should either write to National Development Manager, Post Office Ltd, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM (no postcode needed) or email your comments to consultation@postoffice.co.uk by July 8.