RECORD numbers of postmen are taking sick days off work in protest at sweeping changes which have crippled the Hampshire post service, the Daily Echo can reveal.

The problems have arisen since Royal Mail scrapped the daily second delivery in a massive belt-tightening exercise.

Residents and businesses have been receiving important letters - containing vital documents such as cheques, contracts and airline tickets - days late or not at all.

The collapse in the service provoked widespread fury among Hampshire residents and led to the launch of our Postwatch Campaign.

But union chiefs today pleaded: "Don't shoot the messenger!"

Posties are working harder than they ever have before, bosses at the Communications Workers' Union said.

The volume of mail that used to be delivered by three postmen is now on average being carried out by two.

Postmen are feeling the effects of the extra work and having to take many more days off sick than usual.

A spokesman for the CWU said: "There's a morale issue there and there's also the fatigue which goes with being on rounds for three and a half hours non-stop.

"Many postmen have worked far beyond that to make this work."

He said staff were also having their personal safety threatened, for instance by people waiting three hours longer than they are used to for social security cheques.

He said: "Many postmen have felt physically threatened by angry customers. At the moment there's only very partial satisfaction with this system. Most offices are struggling to make it work.

"Our message is don't shoot the messenger. Don't assume that because you're receiving mail three days later than it used to that your postman is slacking because the truth is he's working harder than ever."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "We have got considerably higher than normal sickness levels. Whether it's a morale issue or a fatigue issue it's hard to pinpoint.

"We're doing our best to bring in temporary staff to help support us.

"We're implementing a major change. It's taking our staff some time to get used to that. If customers are suffering specific problems we will do our best to address them."

Customers suffering delivery problems are urged to contact industry regulator Postwatch on 0845 6013 265, write to Postwatch, Freepost, or e-mail info@postwatch.co.uk.