Gifts still flood in for troops

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7798959.stm

Tens of thousands of parcels have been sent to British troops in Afghanistan despite a plea to the public to stop sending unsolicited mail.

The MoD urged people not to send mail to troops they did not know as it stops letters and gifts from friends and family arriving in time for Christmas.

It asked people to donate to military charities instead.

But some people are even addressing parcels to made-up names to ensure their delivery, Army postmen have said.

'Nightmare'

The parcels usually contain things such as shower gel, cappuccino sachets, sweets and chocolate.

Sgt Dan Gosnold, 81 Postal Courier Squadron, Royal Logistic Core, 29 Regiment, said his team of six postmen at Kandahar were now receiving 1,000 bags of mail, weighing up to 2kg (4.4lb) each every day.

He added: "Sometimes people are even making up names.

"It's making our job a nightmare. People know they've been told it's not going to get through, but it has done. We've managed to soak it up.

"It's really nice what people are doing, it's just a bit of a nightmare for us. But we've got a good team here, it's what we've trained for."

Maj Chris Violet, of the British Forces Post Office, said about 150,000 bags of mail had been sent worldwide during October, November and December, containing 7.5 million items.

A third of these went out to troops on operations, with the majority in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Maj Violet estimated 30,000 to 35,000 mailbags would have reached troops in Afghanistan in this period.