AN MP rolled up his sleeves to help promote his constituency's unsung heroes.

Paul Rowen went behind the counter at a Rochdale post office before getting to grips with his constituency's drainage.

The aim of his job-swaps was to see at first-hand the valuable jobs being done, largely without recognition, across the town.

As part of his campaign to save threatened post offices, he agreed to do the morning shift at the popular Buersil branch, taking the opportunity to speak to local people.

"As an MP, I am often stuck in meetings, but over the summer I'm embarking on a number of visits aimed at seeing at first-hand the valuable jobs many of our unsung heroes do," he said.

"It's already clear the Buersil post office is a valued community resource."

Postmaster J. Patel said the MP realised running a post office was much more than paying out pensions and selling stamps.

"Mr Rowen has been very supportive in the campaign to save our post office, but we haven't given him an easy ride," said Mr Patel.

Rochdale council has thrown a lifeline to seven closure-threatened post offices by offering each one £20,000 over three years if subsidies from Westminster cease.

A total of 67 out of 380 branches in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Derbyshire have been earmarked for the axe. Six weeks' consultation ended last month. The Post Office will announce which branches will close on August 12.

Later the MP joined the council's gully cleaning teams.

"Rochdale has had a problem with flooding and this will help," said Mr Rowen.

"Gully cleaning isn't the easiest job in the world, but I am looking forward to getting my hands dirty."

Click here to see a map showing the under-threat post offices.