Oops, we've done it again!

Gardener Sandra Geere today joked she would have to send her mail by carrier pigeon, after suffering a catalogue of mishaps at the hands of postal chiefs.

Ms Geere, of The Groves, said her mail difficulties first hit home in April, when she realised that two of three letters she sent by recorded delivery had not arrived.

"I posted them and later checked to see if they had been delivered," she said. "I discovered that two of them had not.

"I spoke to Royal Mail's customer service department, who checked the recorded delivery numbers and confirmed that two of the letters had not been delivered."

The company sent out complaint forms to Ms Geere, who replied and sent them back. She said she received a letter and a cheque for £5 for one of the missing items - but not the other.

Ms Geere said: "I telephoned again and was told the second letter and cheque had been dispatched. They said they assumed it was lost in the post. I was not very happy."

She said she had since received another letter from Royal Mail, with a duplicate cheque, but added she no longer trusted the recorded delivery service.

A Royal Mail spokesman said recorded delivery did not guarantee that letters would arrive. It simply guaranteed that if delivered, there would be a record of signature.

He said the only way to guarantee delivery was to send it by special delivery - a service which carries a premium rate.

"It would appear we have let this lady down," he said. "But her complaint has been investigated and dealt with.

"For items which are really important, of value or need to arrive the next day, then the best method of postage is special delivery."

Ms Geere said: "I am sure that most people don't realise that recorded delivery doesn't guarantee your letter will get there. You feel that when you pay for recorded delivery the mail would be getting special treatment."

Updated: 10:39 Tuesday, June 08, 2004