According to Post Office Ltd, Wattisfield – which has been listed for closure – now has 35,303 residents, compared to the 436 counted in the 2001 census.

June Frost, who runs Country Beauty Salon in the village, said: "I haven't noticed any big developments here. There is one new housing estate, but it is not that big.

"It's not grown much since I've been here and I've been here 10 years."

Andrew Catchpole, parish council clerk, also said he had not spotted any major growth or a surge in the number of newborns in the village.

"It is only a small village – I think 400 is about right," he said.

The population figures, which form part of the Post Office Ltd recommendation to close the village post office, have been uncovered by Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket MP David Ruffley.

The Post Office report also suggests nearby village Botesdale has 36,666 residents (around 635 is more accurate) and Stanton 34,505. At the last count, Stanton had a population closer to 2,630.

"If they cannot even get the population figures correct or give a comprehensible explanation of how they calculate them, how do we know their information is correct?" said Mr Ruffley.

But Post Office Ltd spokesman Nick Martens said: "If there are factual errors in anything we produce, then we are in a consultation period, which is exactly what it is there for – to bring that to our attention."

Mr Ruffley said Gislingham Post Office was listed to be replaced with an outreach service at the Six Bells pub, even though the owner may be selling up.

"Their outreach proposals for Gislingham are a sham, when they clearly have no firm plan in place to use the local pub.

"How can we trust their judgment on the closure programme as a whole with mistakes like these?" he said.

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