I am writing to vent my dismay at the service being provided by the Royal Mail.

A parcel was sent to us over a month ago from Colchester and was returned to the sender because we “failed to collect it from the sorting office”.

We had not received a card through the door informing us that there had been an attempt to deliver the parcel and that we had to arrange a new delivery or collect it ourselves. As we had another parcel overdue that had been sent to us we tried ringing the sorting office and got an answer phone asking us to quote the reference number.

Of course we had no reference number because we hadn’t been left a card – again.

I remember a time when you could stick a first class stamp on any sized envelope and as long as it was in a post box by the collection time it would be delivered the next day without fail.

Second class would take a little longer, maybe up to three days depending on the volume of post. Now we’re told to allow up to five days for first class post and, well, who knows for second class post?

I understand that we’re also being told to post Christmas cards by the end of October, and that’s for internal mail, let alone overseas! What is happening to our postal system?

I know there have been strikes and this will cause a backlog, but the service seems to have been getting progressively worse for some time. I’d love to hear from anyone who works for the Royal Mail who could maybe explain.

Jacqui Fogg, King John Avenue, Bournemouth