Paths are too icy for postmen

Homes in the West Midlands are going without letters and parcels just days before Christmas - because postmen are not being allowed out in the snow.

Posties today complained that "health and safety" rules have prevented them from going out.

The Royal Mail has taken on 100 extra staff on top of its 400 casual Christmas workers at its main office in Sun Street, Wolverhampton, to deal with the backlog.

But piles of post are piling up because managers deem conditions on pavements too dangerous. Thousands in the region have received no post since Friday.

Posties have contacted the Express & Star to say they want to do their rounds but are being frustrated by safety rules. One postman, who did not want to be named, said: "A lot of offices in the Midlands have not been delivering any mail. Some offices such as Dudley have not delivered any mail since Friday."

The Sun Street depot handles all post for Wolverhampton, Walsall, Wednesbury, Dudley and much of Staffordshire. Royal Mail also has district delivery offices, including in Dudley, Stafford, Cannock and Darlaston.

It is up to individual office managers to decide if pavements are safe enough for their staff to work.

People waiting for deliveries today spoke of their frustration. Businesswoman Kate Copestake, of Wergs Road, Tettenhall, added: "I know there are severe disruptions to all kinds of services, but it's not that bad around here."

Royal Mail spokeswoman Jaquie Stenson said: "We are delivering wherever possible in extremely difficult conditions. Health and safety rules are applied at each office. If the area is too dangerous they are told at each office but it is an agreed process between Royal Mail managers and the union."