Mail backlog sorted in the street

Mail is strewn in a Wimbledon street while traffic passes by

A backlog of mail caused by industrial action by postal workers is being sorted in a road in one area of London.

Staff in the Wimbledon SW19 area were photographed by a local woman who called at a sorting office to collect her overdue mail.

The woman, who identified herself only as Vicky, said: "I was surprised to see the mail in the street and pedestrians walking over it."

The Royal Mail said it showed their determination to get the mail through.

Vicky, 34, said the Royal Mail trucks seemed unable to get to the sorting office near Worple Road because they were blocked by several vans loaded with mail.

'Stressful'

She said the public collection point for the mail closed as early as 1000 BST on Saturday as they seemed to be swamped.

"I've only had three bits of post in the past three weeks," she said.

"I'm getting married soon and looking out for 25 items in the post.

"I'm finding the wait for the mail slightly stressful. I hope it gets cleared soon."

Meanwhile a new 24-hour walkout in a row over modernisation plans is affecting deliveries in several locations including London and has added to a growing post backlog.

A statement from Royal Mail said: "We are doing everything we can to get as much mail to customers as possible including using management volunteers to lessen the impact of the strike action.

"All but a handful of our 1400 delivery offices were working today and the activity in the picture was exceptional and shows we are determined to get our customers' mail to them."

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