An investigation has been launched after workers ripped out a postbox fitted in the wall of a grade 2 listed former Post Office building without having permission.
The team turned up at the former Post Office on St George's Square and set to work taking the iconic red box out of the building's wall on Thursday.
But it wasn't long before people started to warn the workers that the building was grade 2 listed - and unless they had listed building consent they shouldn't continue.
Now you see the postbox in the grade 2 listed Post Office in St George's Square
The postbox at the Post Office in St George's Square, Mevagissey, before it was removed.
The workers were left red-faced by their blunder as they tried to remedy the work they had carried out but couldn't fix the iconic box back into place.
The Post Office closed at the beginning of the year and is now in the ownership of a developer after Post Office stalwarts Joan and Dougie Bishop retired after nearly three decades.
The loss of the post box and the damage to the listed building has come as a double whammy to residents who after still reeling at being forced to use a temporary Post office service in the Jubilee Hall.
Now you don't see the postbox after it was removed from the grad 2 listed former Post Office
Resident Alex Williams saw the workers removing the postbox and said as far as she was aware no one in the village had been notified that this was due to take place.
After learning that there was no listed planning consent the workers tried to put the post box back but failed.
Instead they returned and boarded up the gap on the instruction of the owner.
Alex said: "A piece of wood has been placed over it now because they needed to make the building secure."
Town and county councillor James Mustoe also watched the fiasco and has contacted both Royal Mail and Cornwall Council's planning and enforcement team.
He said: "They have made a real bodged job and they have also acted without thinking about the wider community of Mevagissey."
A Cornwall Council spokesman said: "This matter has been reported to the council. An enforcement case has been set up and it will be investigated thoroughly."
A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We were asked to remove the postbox at the former Post Office in Mevagissy at the request of the building owners.
"However, when we discovered it was a Grade II Listed building, we offered to reinstate the box, but this was not possible.
"Our intention is to install a new postbox a few hundred yards away as soon as possible and we apologise to residents for the temporary disruption to posting facilities."