Pensioner returns lost letters

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-ea ... -20260330/

Dec 17 2007 by Nick Whitten, Evening Chronicle

WHEN he saw more than 50 letters strewn across a busy road, kind-hearted pensioner Donald Barr-Wells knew there was only one thing to do.

The 87-year-old took it upon himself to rescue the post and get them to their rightful homes.

Despite pouring rain and windy conditions, the former electrical engineer of Holly Avenue, Jesmond, collected as many as he could of the 50 letters dumped in Osborne Road, Jesmond, which had been blown all over the busy road.

Among the letters he rescued were Christmas cards, bills and one from the House of Commons addressed to a doctor.

He then took the mail home, dried it off and re-posted it after writing little messages on each letter to say what had happened.

Royal Mail bosses are now investigating how the letters came to be lying in the road after Mr Barr-Wells made a complaint.

He said: “I am quite an elderly man so I couldn’t get them all.

“I just feel really sorry for all the people whose post I couldn’t rescue.

“In the past I have suffered from not receiving letters or from my post not being delivered and it is not good. It is especially bad given that it is nearly Christmas.â€

[General Mannerheim]

“I took them home to dry them off and then phoned the Royal Mail and made a complaint.

“They themselves said it was quite a serious matter. But they thanked me for taking it upon myself to pick them up.â€

[TrueBlueTerrier]

[quote="General Mannerheim"]“I took them home to dry them off and then phoned the Royal Mail and made a complaint.

“They themselves said it was quite a serious matter. But they thanked me for taking it upon myself to pick them up.â€

[dvbuk55]

He is starting work part time next week at his local delivery office - his line manager who is 96 says "Donald is just the sort of dedicated worker we need here and if he keeps this up he could go a long way".

[andy2007]

I don't know about you, but if any of my Post was left lying around like that, I'd be glad of someone taking the trouble to do what he did. I think that RM should be making a point of thanking him for rescuing the Mail!

Why hasn't someone from RM gone round to officially thank him, and maybe given him some kind of reward. Lets face facts here: not many people these days would have gone to so much trouble to rescue other people's mail. In fact, there are a lot of fraudsters out there, who would have seen it as a perfect opportunity to steal some more identities.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I don't know about you, but if any of my Post was left lying around like that, I'd be glad of someone taking the trouble to do what he did. I think that RM should be making a point of thanking him for rescuing the Mail!

Why hasn't someone from RM gone round to officially thank him, and maybe given him some kind of reward. Lets face facts here: not many people these days would have gone to so much trouble to rescue other people's mail. In fact, there are a lot of fraudsters out there, who would have seen it as a perfect opportunity to steal some more identities.

Spot on Andy - what that guy did was above and beyond the call of duty and he should be rewarded or thanked a least.

My post and the 2 others I think were aimed at lambasting Royal Mail rather than him. I hope the postie who dropped them (even if he is a casual) keeps his job and if he does he should write out a thank you card.