Postal checks after delivery complaints

All postal workers at Fareham's sorting office are now back at work after 22 were stricken with diarrhoea last week.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, the sickness led to haphazard deliveries and some people not getting their mail at all in the PO14 area.

Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said: "It was a bit of a freak week with so many staff off sick at one time.

"We are always monitoring the postal service, especially after periods of staff sickness where there have been problems. We hope the service will return to normal as quickly as possible."

Royal Mail's latest promise will come as little comfort to residents who say the service has gradually deteriorated over the last six months.

Jackie Horobin, retired, of Church Road, Titchfield Common, said she thought she was just unlucky with the post until she saw yesterday's Daily Echo.

"I think there are a lot of people who have the same problems with their post turning up late but think they're the only ones.

"For the last seven weeks it's been really bad."

Mrs Horobin said she was horrified to learn that a letter she posted in Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath with a first-class stamp last Wednesday only arrived in Lee-on the-Solent on Monday morning.

Another resident spotted a postman putting bundles of post back into the same post box last week - even though the letters appeared to have been already sorted.

The Royal Mail said this was allowed if a postal worker had to finish his or her round half way through because they were feeling ill.

"We are very strict about what happens to mail because it must always be in a secure place," said Mr Booth.

"If the post is put back into the post box it will be collected and taken back to the sorting office so it still stays within the system."

Are you unhappy with your postal service? Call the Daily Echo's Fareham office on 01329 285503 or e-mail Clare Kennedy using the link above.