Sir.-I write in reply to a recent letter from B Aylett about postal problems in Basingstoke.

Firstly, the post boxes around town and the estates are emptied more regularly at Christmas - roughly every two hours (give or take 10 minutes).

I know because I am a postman and I have to empty them.

Secondly, on some occasions, people will post large, bulky packets or envelopes and this creates a problem whereby the item becomes wedged at an angle and the space below the item is empty. Any further post then gets jammed behind the offending item, resulting in a post box that may look full.

Thirdly, like most members of the public, instead of B Aylett putting his/her post into an already over-filled post box, he/she could take their letters into a post office and give it to the clerk behind the counter.

Alternatively, they could take their mail into their workplace and - provided their company has a collection in the afternoon - post it with their company's mail.

Lastly, no, it doesn't take rocket science to know that, at Christmas, post is heavy.

But it also doesn't take rocket science to know that trying to "squeeze" post into an already full post box may result in someone's mail getting lost if other envelopes then fall out of that post box.

-S Ludds, address withheld.