SANDRA Geere's postal problems neatly illustrate the declining service offered by Royal Mail.

Two out of three letters Ms Geere sent by recorded delivery failed to arrive. Then one of the cheques sent to her in compensation was also lost in the post.

Customers are all too aware that paying for a stamp is no longer enough to ensure a letter reaches its destination. Thanks to today's clarification by the Royal Mail, we now know that paying a recorded delivery surcharge does little to help.

Onthe last day of postal voting for the European elections, this is not a comforting discovery.

Updated: 10:07 Tuesday, June 08, 2004