Postie's pothole injury halts the mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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THE Royal Mail stopped delivering to houses on a Derbyshire street after a postman claimed to have been injured by driving over a pothole.

Residents of Bell Lane, in Smalley, were left fuming by the decision, which they branded as "ludicrous", and claim to have never had any problems driving along the road.

They were told the postman jarred his back on a pothole and had to take the rest of the week off sick.

Ruth Rowe, delivery officer manager at Ilkeston and Heanor, said that the deliveries would be suspended until the problem was rectified – and Bell Lane residents would have to collect their own mail from the delivery office in the meantime.

In a letter to residents, she said: "The postman jarred his back after he had driven his van down one of the potholes along Bell Lane. This resulted in him having to take the rest of the week off sick.

"I have now suspended delivery of mail to your address until this problem is rectified.

"I am very sorry for any inconvenience caused, but I have to consider the safety of my employees, and also possible damage to our vehicle."

However, farmer Dan Oldershaw, 35, who lives in Bell Lane with his wife, Nicki, and two children, Charlie, five, and Harriet, 18 months, said that he was "flabbergasted" when he read the letter.

"If it wasn't for the date stamp I would have thought it was an April Fool's joke," he said.

"I half expected Jeremy Beadle to pop out from behind the curtain."

Nicki said that the family were also "astounded" that someone hand-delivered the letter on April 27, but had not delivered the rest of their mail at the same time.

"The letter just goes to highlight everything that is currently wrong with this country," said the 33-year-old.

"I work for Jaguar and can come home in any vehicle ranging from a brand new X-Type worth £25,000 to a XKR Convertible worth £75,000, which, may I add, has very low-profile tyres and suspension.

"In the eight years I have worked for Jaguar, I have neither damaged myself or any vehicle driving up and down Bell Lane, as I drive at a sensible speed, suited to the road conditions."

The family said the potholes were about three inches deep.

"I'm sure there are worse on the roads into Derby," said Dan.

Fellow Bell Lane resident Julie Speight said she, too, was shocked to receive the letter.

"As far as I am aware, only a couple of people on the street drive 4x4s, and everyone else manages," she said.

"The milkman, with a van full of glass bottles, also seems to be able to get up here."

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said deliveries to Bell Lane resumed on Saturday after repairs were made to the road.

She said: "We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused whilst we had to suspend deliveries for a short time when the road had fallen into such a poor state of repair that it proved dangerous."

[johnsouthwales]

think i'd be flabergasted if beadle popped up...

ok, they said it's 3 inches deep and that in itself is shocking... why didnt it say how wide it was? if thats the case, all roads are potential risk assessments cos potholes everywhere. blame the councils for paying for substandard sub-contractors, take it up with them. lol rm should say to goverment, fix the roads or nobody gets mailed