A CAMPAIGN to save the rural post office network last week culminated with a rally in central London, in which West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox joined subpostmasters from across the constituency in lobbying parliament. Under the heading ?Your Post Office ? at the heart of the community?, last week?s day of action was preceded by a week of heightened campaigning to galvanise support and raise public awareness of the precarious position in which many post offices find themselves. Mr Cox, who launched his post office campaign in April, spent the weekend in towns across the constituency with volunteers, gathering signatures for the post office petition which he last night formally presented to the House of Commons. A copy of the 6,222 signature petition was also delivered, along with thousands of paper hearts bearing messages of support from local residents, to the Prime Minister at Downing Street. Earlier in the week, in a debate in the Commons, Geoffrey Cox strongly criticised the Government for encouraging customers to access services by phone or the internet, rather than by using the Post Office. He said this was happening while the Government was subsidising the post office network and accused ministers of creating a system where one hand did not know what the other was doing ? a sentiment echoed by the leader of the Conservative Party during Prime Minister?s Question Time on Wednesday. Presenting the petition to the House of Commons on Wednesday, Geoffrey Cox said:?My constituents in Torridge and West Devon fear that the withdrawal of the Post Office card account and the continuous erosion of the services that sub-post offices provide will destroy their viability as small businesses. ?They plead with the Government for an enlightened recognition of both their social value to rural communities and the compelling case to preserve them.? Mr Cox said he sincerely hoped that last week?s lobby would force the Government to take note and to take urgent action to resolve the problems facing sub postmasters in rural areas. Mr Cox said: ?Although today was the culmination of several months of campaigning, I fully intend to continue to exert pressure on the Government to ensure the survival and future viability of the rural post office network.?