A mail boss has vowed to work towards a better postal service in Southend after residents blasted the town's second class service.

Among the alleged problems raised by residents at last night's packed meeting, at the Civic Centre in Southend, were post being delivered to the wrong address, first class letters arriving 11 days late and recipients not being asked to sign for recorded delivery parcels and letters.

Concerns were also voiced about the closure of post offices, the proposed cutback of some deliveries, the introduction of competition, job losses within the postal service and charging people more for guaranteed deliveries.

Mail facts - Postwatch chairman Peter Privett talks to residents about their postal concerns Picture: MAXINE CLARKE 7AFFA6

Responding to problems in Southend, Mark Rush, Consignia's area operations manager for the SS postcode, said: "Postal staff in Southend work tremendously hard but we want to do better.

"From what people have said we are sometimes making the same mistake twice and that is unacceptable and we will try to resolve that."

Published Thursday, March 7, 2002