Royal Mail banned postal deliveries at this Stoke-on-Trent flats complex for six weeks (and here's why)

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Rough sleepers and druggies were getting into the block of flats through a broken door

Postal deliveries were stopped at a block of flats for six weeks - after Royal Mail ruled it was not safe for posties to go there.

The company suspended deliveries to Reeves Court, in New Street, Burslem, because the entry door to the property was broken.

It meant non-residents - including drug users and rough sleepers - were able to access communal areas.

Now deliveries have finally resumed at the Midland Heart-owned property after repairs were carried out to the door.

One resident said: "Royal Mail refused to come for about six weeks because of drug use and homeless people sleeping on the ground floor. They started delivering again about two weeks ago.

"I don't blame Royal Mail for not delivering here because if I was doing that job I wouldn't want to come in here for my own safety. There are needles all over the place. I've spoken to some of the postmen and they've told me they're scared.

"I live here and I'm scared because when you walk in you don't know what you're walking into. I've gone up to five days without going through the door of my flat.

"There's rubbish everywhere because people don't put it in the bins and we have rats running round. I've lived here for four years and I'm moving because of the impact it's having on my health."

Head of housing management Vicki Brownhill said: "We were made aware that Royal Mail was not delivering post to Reeves Court due to the entry door being broken and non-residents accessing communal areas.

"The door has now been repaired, the block is secure and postal deliveries have re-commenced. We take anti-social behaviour at our properties extremely seriously and continue to work with Staffordshire Police to ensure the safety of all our customers."

Royal Mail has confirmed that deliveries are now back to normal.

A spokesman said: "We temporarily suspended deliveries to a number of addresses in this area because the safety of our staff was at risk. The safety and welfare of our staff is paramount and we only suspend deliveries as a last resort. We apologise to customers for any inconvenience this may have caused."