COLCHESTER'S MP has spoken to Royal Mail due to residents experiencing post delivery issues across the borough.

Residents of the town have been reporting post problems for several months, caused by the impact of coronavirus on services and staff.

A cold snap in February also badly affected services, with roads across the borough severely affected by the flurry of white stuff.

Will Quince, MP for Colchester, said he had contacted Royal Mail on behalf of residents following an increase in casework arriving on the issue over recent weeks.

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Will Quince said: "Following a rise in my mailbox from Colchester residents concerned with late postal deliveries, I contacted Royal Mail to ask them to look into this urgent matter.

"The Royal Mail Service Delivery Leader for Essex and Anglia has recently contacted me to explain that, due to the heavy snow that we experienced, the Colchester Delivery Office was severely impacted, which will have caused localised delays to mail deliveries.

"Royal Mail have passed on their sincere apologies and add that deliveries are taking place 6 days a week, and post men and women are working tirelessly to keep Colchester connected.

"I would urge any resident who is still experiencing difficulties with late postal deliveries to contact me so I can make representations on your behalf."

Mr Quince also met virtually with Royal Mail officials back in January to discuss the issue.

The firm told him at the time a third of its staff in Colchester were off due to leave or sickness.

As a result, Royal Mail had to prioritise mail, such as NHS testing kits.

The firm said in December it had hired about 33,000 temporary workers nationally in a bid to help permanent posties cope with the increased demand over the Christmas period.

It said it had seen an “exceptionally high” volume of parcels and letters being sent in addition to problems caused by the pandemic.

A Royal Mail Spokesperson said: “There are no current delays in the Colchester area related to snow.”