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'Shameful' delays lead to people collecting own mail

Daisy BodkinBBC Gloucestershire , Tewkesbury
BBC A woman with short grey hair and a grey top stood next to a bald man wearing a black jumper. They are stood outside their home on a residential street. BBC
Lesley Everiss (L) and Steve Moss (R) say they have not received any post for weeks

"Shameful" delays in Royal Mail delivering letters have resulted in people being forced to pick up their own mail, residents claim.

Dozens of people living in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, have complained after waiting up to three weeks for their letters and parcels to arrive.

One local said this resulted in her turning up to her hospital appointment on the wrong day, while Lesley Everiss described the situation as "shameful" and said people are now "going up to the office and actually picking their own mail up".

Royal Mail said the delivery office is experiencing resourcing pressures and is "actively recruiting to address this".

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Resident Steve Moss said it has felt like postal workers have vanished into thin air over the last couple of months.

While Michelle Harwood, who also lives in the town, said she had not been receiving NHS letters, which was "worrying her",

"I thought I had to go over for an appointment, when I got there they told me I hadn't needed to have bothered because they sent me a letter saying it had been cancelled.

"It wasted my time, my petrol, the NHS' time, when somebody else could have been going over there that needed a priority appointment."

Another resident, Sandra Smith, said she had to go directly to the sorting office to collect her post.

"I asked when we were going to get any post delivered to this road and was told he (the staff member) has no idea whatsoever when we will get a delivery," she said.

Smith said she was told the reason was because they did not have enough staff, so she now visits the office every week.

"There's no other way of guaranteeing I'm going to get any post," she added.

An older lady with white, short hair. She is wearing a blue and white striped top and sunglasses. She is stood in front of her garage door, with her arms folded.
Smith was told at her local sorting office that they have "no idea" when residents will receive their post

A Royal Mail spokesperson said they know how important it is that customers receive their mail when expected.

"The local delivery office is experiencing some resourcing pressures, including vacancies and sickness absence. We are actively recruiting to address this.

"Deliveries continue every day across the area, although at times individual routes may be affected and receive deliveries every other day," they added.

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