Post bags dumped at Raynes Park care home

Concerned staff twice told postmen - thought to be agency workers - but they refused to take away the sacks, abandoned on Saturday morning and containing more than 400 first and second class letters for addresses across SW20.

Residents at the Holmhurst Court care home in Copse Hill have even resorted to sorting through and delivering some of the mail to those living at the home.

Kathy Crawley, Holmhurst’s manager, said: “I was going to take the mail back myself but I just thought if I do that, the whole thing will be swept under the carpet.

“Twice I’ve told postmen to take the mail and they just haven’t bothered. I’m pretty sure they’re agency workers.

“The sacks were left in an unsecured doorway where anyone could steal them. If someone was to get hold of the information in those letters they could have an absolute field day, getting up to all sorts of trouble.”

The postal service across Wimbledon and Raynes Park is in meltdown with staff at the Cranbrook Road distribution centre continuing one-day-a-week walkouts over Royal Mail’s decision to restructure, costing 60 jobs.

Agency staff and Royal Mail managers have been drafted in from all corners of the country to solve the crisis as Wimbledon continues to be one of the worst affected areas with more than a month-long backlog of mail.

Unlike the rest of the country, strike action has been ongoing in Wimbledon since the end of July.

Residents living at the Holmhurst care home have also claimed some postmen have been abusive when tackled over their failure to deliver mail.

Resident, Dena Bedborough, said: “One guy told the postman he had incorrectly dropped a letter through his door but two minutes later it was delivered again."

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said: "Security and safe delivery of our customers' mail is a top priority and we will investigate this complaint."

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