HUNDREDS of postal workers descended on Fairfield Park on Saturday to protest government plans to privatise the Royal Mail.

Flags, banners and placards were on show as workers from all over the country visited the town to oppose the plans, which are being pushed through by postal affairs minister and Kingston and Surbiton MP Ed Davey.

Speakers from the Communications Workers Union (CWU) addressed the crowds before leading the postal workers on a march through the town centre.

CWU secretary Billy Hayes, said: "Privatising the Royal Mail will be disastrous for people who rely on post offices and the mail service.

"We're taking the message direct to Kingston MP Ed Davey's so that he hears loud and clear the concern and opposition to his actions.

"The government says privatisation is necessary to safeguard the Royal Mail, but that is blatant spin.

"If Ed Davey and others were genuinely interested in postal economics, sustainable mail services and value for the tax payer they would look at regulatory changes before flogging a national asset to profit hunters."

Local workers raised their concerns about the possibility of closing post offices and cutting the number of staff.

They were also worried that selling the Royal Mail off would result in a much worse service for residents.

CWU secretary for Kingston, Mark Marcou, said: "The demonstration is about the proposals which could see shutting down post offices, job losses and a much poorer service to the customer.

"If it goes ahead there could be a loss of road deliveries and mail deliveries. At the moment everybody gets a daily delivery six days a week, this could end, and they will cherry pick the areas they want to deliver to.

"As for the job losses, we've got big enough unemployment problems as it is without this. Ed Davey feels that he's doing right but these plans will result in poorer services.

"They are only proposals at the moment but we'll take it one day at a time."

Mr Davey, said: "The deal for Royal Mail employees in pensions and employee shares is a great one which Labour failed to deliver.

"But getting private capital into this business we have a real chance of rescuing it from its perilous position and creating sustainable jobs for the future.