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How would you feel if your Christmas deliveries were left in your rubbish bin because you were out?
This is what happened to Scunthorpe Telegraph acting editor Michelle Hurst who had been expecting a Royal Mail delivery for two weeks - only to discover it had been lying in the bottom of the wheelie bin for some time.
Michelle said: "I had been expecting the delivery, having been given an expected delivery date of December 5.
"Knowing how busy it was, I left it several days, but started to chase it up with the sender last Thursday.
"She confirmed it had definitely been sent out on December 1.
"I said I would wait until Saturday's post had been and then let her know.
"But on Saturday morning I decided to go through my kitchen bin to see if I had accidentally thrown the red delivery card away with other leaflets.
"It was as I turned over a plastic-wrapped leaflet that I noticed an attempt had been made to write on it in ballpoint pen - rather unsuccessfully, but just enough for me to see that it said 'delivery in bin'.
"There was no Royal Mail card, just this small scribbled note that I defy anyone to have seen.
"I went straight to the bin, lifted out a couple of rubbish bags and it was there at the bottom.
"It must have been there since last Tuesday - and was cold and damp with rubbish on top.
"The sender was relieved to hear the news but was as bemused as I was that it had been left like that with no proper note.
"Another few days and it would have gone to the landfill! I'm grateful that they tried to leave it, but think a scribbled note on a plastic wrapper that was not easy to spot was not the best. A Royal Mail delivery card would have been much easier to spot."
Although it's a difficult balancing act - having the items delivered to home so you don't have to trek to a delivery office is preferable, but it seems that Michelle is not alone in having such deliveries.
Julian Wellings said: “A couple of years ago Royal Mail actually attached a package to my front door using a rubber band, for all to see."
Sharon Long wrote: "Me and my neighbour have both had parcels just left on the doorstep, luckily we each saw the others parcel there and brought them in otherwise it wouldn't of stayed there for long, I've also had them in the bin, chucked fragile items over the gate and the very worst one ... left with neighbours I don't like."
And Jo Smith wrote: "My friend had a parcel left in the bin. Same day the bin men came."
While Ryan Carter said: “I work for a well known parcel company, you'd be surprised the requests we get for parcels and one of the most common that's stated in the delivery instructions is 'please leave inside bin' but I agree you shouldn't do that unless given specific instructions to do so! If I feel there isn't a safe, dry and hidden place (if stated it can be left) then I will leave a polite note stating my reasons and that it will be delivered the following day or that it was left with a neighbour so it is kept safe and you wouldn't have to wait for a re-delivery, in which it allows the customer to arrange someone to be home or to inform the driver to leave with a neighbour. But I do agree with this post that parcels should not be left in bins, out in the rain or in the view of passers by unless the customer requests that."
