HAMPSHIRE posties are falling short of their target for next-day delivery of first class mail.

But the SO postcode is by no means the worst in the south and meets its targets for local deliveries.

The national target for first-class mail is that at least 92.5 per cent should reach its destination anywhere in the UK the next day.

In the SO area Royal Mail falls just short of the target with a nationwide next-day delivery rate of 91.7 per cent.

Deliveries that stayed within Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh and part of the New Forest - the SO area - are well ahead on 94.8 per cent.

Ten out of 14 postcode areas in the south and west are not meeting their targets for next-day delivery of first class mail.

In the rest of the region Portsmouth fares worst, with its service appearing tenth from bottom in a national league table.

Performance in Bournemouth dropped slightly during the year, and Salisbury also cropped up in the 20 worst postal areas.

Charles Howeson, chairman of Postwatch South and West said: "It is extremely disappointing to see that ten out of 14 postcode areas in this region are missing their target for first-class mail."

A Royal Mail spokesman defended the service, which has been crippled by financial difficulties in recent years and plagued by image problems.

He said: "When you compare our prices and our performance with any other country in Europe you will see that we come out on top.

"We have been battling against huge financial losses, but significant inroads have been made towards an ever-improving service.

"We're not complacent and we're working hard to bring further improvements."

He also hit out at postal service critics, saying: "It's insulting to every postman who gets up early in the morning and dedicates his life to delivering the mail."

He added: "It may be true that one in ten letters does not arrive the next morning, but nine out of ten do."