Posties face their busiest day of the year

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Posties face their busiest day of the year handling avalanche of Christmas cards and parcels

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MAIL centre staff in Glasgow were expecting to handle up to 2.8million items of mail today, in bid to ensure they arrive in time for Christmas Day.

SCOTTISH postal workers have been dealing with their busiest day of the year as they handle the deluge of Christmas cards and parcels.

Glasgow Mail Centre staff were expecting to handle up to 2.8million items of mail today as they work to ensure post arrives in time for December 25.

Employees at the centre have been working 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the run-up to Christmas as they handle the festive postbag.

Across Scotland, 12,000 Royal Mail staff are working to deliver cards, parcels and letters on time.

Gerry McAuley, delivery director for the west of Scotland, said: "We are seeing the massive seasonal increase in our volumes again this year. We love parcels and, once again this Christmas, our customers clearly enjoy ordering and sending them.

"Everyone here is committed to delivering a first-class Christmas and we will be working hard right up until Christmas Eve. No one else works harder at this time of the year in every single village, town and city across the country."

Royal Mail has taken on 1900 temporary workers to help deal with the festive post.

It has two main Christmas parcel sort centres in Livingston and Eurocentral, one in Dunfermline and three extra facilities in Inverness, Paisley and Dunfermline.

It is also using an extra 574 vehicles to deliver Christmas letters and parcels and extending delivery office opening hours for customers picking up deliveries.

The last recommended posting dates to ensure delivery in time for Christmas are Friday December 20 for first class mail and Wednesday December 18 for second class.