How the mail missed the post.

By By Steve Partridge
ROYAL Mail bosses have apologised to families in Cheltenham after a sack
of
letters was not delivered to them for two months.

Nearly 100 families in the Leckhampton area of the town were affected after
a
pouch containing 300 letters and parcels was not picked up last November.

It contained mail including benefits cheques, bills, and Christmas cards
and
presents destined for people in Charlton Lane and Greenhills Road.

But two agency postmen working in the run-up to Christmas failed to spot it
when they picked up mail from a nearby post box on November 24.

The pouch had been left at a pick up point only used in emergencies and no
one
had checked it again until last week.

Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said: “We apologise to any customers
affected
by the mail being so late.

“Because of the rising Christmas pressure we took on a couple of agency
staff
and somehow this pouch was left in a post-box.

“We need to urgently review our checking procedures.”

Retired lecturer Aldo Shepherd, aged 63, of Charlton Lane, was one of those
affected and had been forced to cancel a housing benefit cheque when it
didn’t
arrive.

“It was a real hassle, ” he said.

“This was just before Christmas and cash gets a bit short around that
time.”

He said he was then surprised last Saturday to receive the missing cheque
and a
2001 calendar sent from Scotland.

“I wondered what on earth had happened. It seemed so extraordinary, ” he
said.

Cheltenham borough councillor Robin MacDonald (Con), whose ward covers
Leckhampton, said he was disappointed at the failure.

“I only hope Royal Mail will work quickly to remedy it, ” he said.
CAPTION: Aldo Shepherd with the mail posted in November which has just
turned up
EDITION: WP Severnside
PAGE: 10
SECTION: News
WESTERN DAILY PRESS, 31st January 2001