Investigation launched by Royal Mail

An investigation has been launched after unopened mail was found dumped in bushes in Kingsbury.

Around 25 letters belonging to neighbours in Maple Grove were discovered by observant Patricia Kelley on July 16 outside her home.

When Mrs Kelley called Royal Mail to explain what had happened, she was given strict instructions not to deliver the post.

But it took nearly a week for someone to come and pick up the undelivered letters.

Furious Mrs Kelley, 57, who also lives in Maple Grove, said: “When I left my house I noticed all the letters in the bush outside.

“It had been raining really hard so I took them inside to dry and noticed it was the post for all my neighbours.

“I was very concerned. At first I couldn’t even get through to anyone at Royal Mail.

“Then when I did, I was told under no circumstances deliver the mail myself. I spent nearly a week worrying about what to do and nobody bothered contacting me. It’s a disgrace.”

Mrs Kelley said she felt sick holding on to her neighbours’ mail for six days which may have contained personal details and bank statements.

She said: “I’ve lost all confidence in Royal Mail. There could have been cheques or bank statements in the letters. I’m an honest citizen but what if I wasn’t and I had opened them? It also could have been my post which had been dumped.

“Nobody contacted me for days. Someone could have come sooner to pick them up. I felt sick with worry but Royal Mail had no sense of emergency.”

Mrs Kelley said it wasn’t the usual post woman who delivers mail in Maple Grove.

Royal Mail has now launched an investigation to find out why the post was dumped.

A spokeswoman said: “We would like to thank the customer for alerting us to the mail found in Maple Grove.

“The items have been delivered and we are investigating the matter.”