FRESHWATER Parish Council is encouraging people to contact them to protest against the closure of Lloyds Bank in the village in January.

The bank is currently open three days a week and Lloyds claims the decision has been taken due to the changing ways customers are banking.

It is the last bank which is open in the West Wight and will be replaced with a mobile banking service, full details of which have yet to be confirmed.

Freshwater parish clerk, Michael Mills, said: "I have been contacted by members of the public who think there is nothing that can be done.

"One said there are a lot of people who are very upset by the closure and I did suggest that it would be helpful if they wrote in to the parish.

"We will put this on the October agenda to discuss how best to take it forward."

Local resident Ian Frisk said: "If our last bank goes, then the village, and our businesses, will die.

"The local shops need a bank to put in their takings and get coinage. Now their time will be taken up going to Newport. It's another nail in the coffin for Freshwater."

Mr Mills can be emailed on clerk@freshwater-parish.org.uk