FRUSTRATED residents in Northwood say staff shortages at Royal Mail mean they are receiving postal deliveries as little as four times a week, and as late as 10.20pm on some days.

The Gazette reported in June on residents complaining of mail arriving late at night, and of no deliveries at all on some days.

They say nothing has changed in the past six months, and they are fed up with what they describe as 'a constantly erratic service', with staff delivering letters and parcels while on overtime.

The chairman of Northwood Residents' Association, Tony Ellis, who lives in Kewferry Road, said: "There is still chaos at the Northwood sorting office and I understand they are several postmen short, and will be in the new year.

"I met a postmen who was delivering in Rickmansworth Road at 12.30pm on a Saturday, and he said he was based at Harrow and called in to do an extra round.

"In Kewferry Road we now only get deliveries four of five days a week, and last week there was no mail on Monday or Tuesday, which is in contravention of Royal Mail's obligations.

"On one Saturday we received our post at 10.20pm, which must be a record for any post office anywhere in the country.

"We have been informed by our local ward councillor, Carol Melvin, that a new delivery system was implemented in Northwood in the summer, reducing the number of postmen from 30 to 28, and although this seemed to work when the post is light, as the volume has increased, some areas, such as Kewferry Road, are being left without deliveries.

"This is unacceptable and certainly does not augur well for Christmas."

But Royal Mail spokeswoman Sally Hopkins insisted all mail in the Northwood area has been delivered.

"Royal Mail always wants to hear from customers if they are not happy with the service we provide.

"All items of mail are important to us and if our delivery service has not been satisfactory, customers should call our customer services on 08457 740 740 so we can investigate."

MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, Nick Hurd, said: "I wrote to the Royal Mail in the summer on behalf of frustrated constituents. They assured me that changes being made would lead to a better service.

"This does not seem to have happened and so I will be back on their case.

"Christmas is not the time of year to be letting people down with their post." * What do you think? Email Gazette reporter Siba Matti at sibamatti@trinitysouth.co.uk