Tory party leader David Cameron has joined the fight to save post offices in his Witney constituency.

At the same time, the Conservative leader of the district council said he was "outraged" and "dismayed" at some of the places picked for the axe.

West Oxfordshire stands to be the worst-hit part of the county under the proposals, with nine post offices in the firing line.

West End in Witney, Stanmore Crescent in Carterton, and the villages of Combe and Wootton, near Woodstock, will lose their services outright, while Chadlington, Enstone, Great Tew, Great Rollright and Tackley will be replaced with "outreach" services - much reduced hours or a van.

Yesterday, Mr Cameron, the Witney MP whose own village post office at Chadlington is under threat, said: "My main concern is that the proposals will hit the most vulnerable in the community, and overlook the vital social role post offices have in rural communities.

"The Government's plan is the wrong course of action. Rather than working to find more constructive solutions, which would bring new businesses to the network, the Government seems happy to simply manage the decline of the Post Office.

"As MP for Witney, I will be studying the individual proposals carefully and will be fighting for all post offices affected in order to minimise the impact on my constituents."

Communities and local authorities have six weeks to appeal after Tuesday's announcement of the Post Office's intentions.

West Oxfordshire District Council will be co-ordinating its response together with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council and Postwatch.

Barry Norton, council leader, said: "Our particular worry is where the closure will affect the viability of a village shop. Rural communities, as well as those in larger towns, will be hard hit and we are especially unhappy where no alternative outreach services are proposed.

"I am outraged by the proposed closure at Stanmore Crescent, relied on heavily by service families sending parcels to forces personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Closing this facility is no way to treat a large section of the community and will only add to the stress people there are already under with loved ones at great risk far from home."

He added that he was dismayed at the choice of Great Rollright, where the post office is the only retail outlet in the community.