SAM is opening a second front in the battle to save the borough's beleaguered post offices.

The campaign has already achieved a major breakthrough - with the council recently adopting a new policy to help the under threat community lifelines.

Now Messenger wants Norweb Energi to take a similar line - and help many of its most vulnerable customers at the same time.

The borough's leading newspaper is looking to its readers to back the latest campaign, by signing a petition calling on Norweb Energi to allow customers with power cards to recharge them at their local sub post office. The petitions are available at sub post offices throughout Trafford and in surrounding areas covered by Norweb Energi.

At the moment they can only use one of the 20 pay points that are scattered throughout the borough - often leaving them with lengthy and inconvenient journeys to recharge their cards. The valuable time of home helps is also often used travelling to pay points to save their clients the journey.

Installation of pay points at Trafford's 48 sub post offices in the borough would provide them with a local service - as well as boosting the post office network.

Last year, 15,500 readers signed the Messenger petition demanding more

support for sub post offices, whose future is threatened by plans to pay benefits through banks from 2003. And this year town hall chiefs gave the thumbs up to a scheme which aims to help the borough's sub post offices. The council will begin negotiations on using them for council tax, rent and other payments.

Messenger's petition was delivered to Downing Street by Graham Brady, the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for the Altrincham and Sale West seat. Mr Brady has now written to Norweb calling on the firm to put its pay points into post offices: "This underlines the importance of local post offices to people - particularly those who find it difficult to travel because of disability or age.

"It is vitally important we keep the sub post offices."

Bob Bromilow, the postmaster at Bowdon Vale, says there is an urgent need for power card facilities at subs. One of his disabled customers faces a six mile round journey on two buses when he wants to recharge his card: "This customer is in his early 60s and walks with a stick - and he has to get two buses to go to Sinderland Road."

A spokesman for Norweb Energi says: "We are not aware of a specific problem but if anyone with a power card would like to know where their nearest outlet is they should give us a ring on 01925 465112.

"We are currently talking to the Post Office about connecting up with some of their system."

Chris Gaskell, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Altrincham and Sale West, says: "We supported the campaign last year and fully support all steps to keep sub post offices open.

"Elderly people would suffer enormously if sub post offices are not allowed to remain viable.

"Big organisations like Norweb Energi make huge profits and they have a responsibility to the community."

Jane Baugh, the Labour Parliamentary candidate for Altrincham and Sale West, backed the campaign saying: "This would help post offices to survive and enable more people to have access to facilities."