Thirty-one post offices in the Black Country and Kidderminster were today earmarked for the axe in a massive Government-ordered shut down.

News of the massive cull of branches comes just weeks after the closure of 49 post offices was confirmed across towns and villages in Staffordshire and Shropshire.

Latest branches under threat include nine in Dudley, eight in Sandwell, and five each in Wolverhampton and Walsall and four in Kidderminster.

They are among 56 selected in the West Midlands, Worcestershire and Herefordshire announced by the Post Office today.

The move was slammed by campaigners and MPs but defended by Postal Affairs Minister Pat McFadden who has two branches set to go in his own Wolverhampton South East constituency.

It is part of a plan to cut 2,500 loss making post offices throughout the country and the latest named have 12 weeks to try to avoid the axe.

Mark Partington, Post Office network development manager, said: “We know the decision to close any of our branches will cause concern but we believe that these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward.”

Five out of the 38 branches are in Wolverhampton and the city’s North East Labour MP Ken Purchase slammed the proposed closure of the Prestwood Road post office in Wednesfield. He said: “The sub-postmaster, Jaswinder Singh, has worked extremely hard and invested a large amount of money to modernise his shop but has recently had a heart attack and is not in a position to fight this.”

The 56 Post Offices set for closure include:

Newhampton Road West, Wolverhampton.

Prestwood Road, Wolverhampton.

Portobello, Willenhall Road, Wolverhampton.

Upper Penn, Penn Road, Wolverhampton.

Villiers Avenue, Villiers Square, Bilston.

Delves, Walstead Road, Walsall.

Stafford Street, Walsall.

Dudley Fields, Sneyd Hall Road, Dudley Fields, Walsall.

Rushall, Lichfield Road, Walsall.

The Butts, Butts Road, Walsall.

Quarry Bank, High Street, Brierley Hill.

Silver End, Brettell Lane, Brierley Hill.

Rood End, Rood End Road, Oldbury, Warley.

Rounds Green, 87 Brades Road, OIdbury, Warley.

Stanley Road, Oldbury.

Victoria Park, High Street, Smethwick.

Brasshouse Lane, Smethwick.

Greets Green, Whitehall Road, West Bromwich.

New Street, West Bromwich.

High Street, West Bromwich.

Hasbury, Hagley Road, Halesowen.

Long Lane, Halesowen.

Barnett Lane, Kingswinford.

Brockmoor, Brierley Hill.

Clent Parish Hall, Church Avenue, Stourbridge.

The Walshes, Queens Road, Stourport-on-Severn.

Oldswinford, Hagley Road, Stourbridge.

Pedmore, Hagley Road, Stourbridge.

Comberton Hill, Kidderminster.

Stone, Park Lane, Harvington.

Wolverley (temporarily closed), The Newsagents Shop, Wolverley