SOUTHAMPTON MP Alan Whitehead has predicted postmen will walk out in droves unless the current mail crisis hitting Hampshire is solved.

Yesterday the Daily Echo revealed the county's postal service had become a shambles and had sparked widespread fury.

Businesses have been receiving vital letters days late or not at all.

Some residents have had bundles of a week's worth of mail crammed through their letterbox all at once.

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

Mr Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, is demanding to speak to senior figures at Royal Mail and is warning them that if the problem is not fixed, postmen will start walking out.

He said: "In trying to sort out a particular problem the post service has created another one. Changes appear to have been made which are for the benefit of Royal Mail but could have grave repercussions for the customers.

"They are claiming they have abolished the second post when they seem to have abolished the first post.

"My fear is not that the postmen who don't like this will go on strike - I would have thought they will simply decide not to be postmen."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "Staff in Hampshire are fully committed to the implementation of the single day delivery, which has their approval.

"We are very confident that the initial teething problems will be rectified."