Wickford post was today mounting up again after almost a third of the town's sorting office staff came down with flu.

Residents called This Is Essex partner the Echo in fury that their mail was being held up for the third time in two months.

Wickford postmen staged walkouts last month and three weeks ago after rows with Royal Mail. Now the vicious strain of flu has again meant huge delays in the local postal system, despite 20 temporary workers being taken on.

Robert Robertson, of the Wick estate, said: "Surely there are contingency plans in place for when this sort of thing happens?

"Last week I only had deliveries on Wednesday and then nothing until Monday. It's ridiculous."

Tony Dunn, of Adam Way, Wickford, added: "I'm still waiting for something from London which was posted last Wednesday. If they've got a problem they should put more resources into it more quickly."

James Eadie, spokesman for Royal Mail, said 14 of the 44 regular workers at the Wickford sorting office in Southend Road were off sick.

He said: "Coupled with the increased number of cards and letters being sent in the run-up to Christmas, this has resulted in delays.

"We have brought more than 20 temporary staff in to cover this level of absenteeism, but we couldn't recruit as many as we needed. This has meant some residential customers may not have received deliveries."

He said every possible effort would be made to ensure Christmas cards and parcels were delivered before Saturday, but added: "It is difficult to say when things will be back to normal."

Wickford county councillor Iris Pummell said the Shotgate area where she lives had been particularly badly affected.

She said: "Some residents and elderly people are very irate about it. They are expecting letters from their children and it's a shame they are having to be kept waiting. What's the good in having Christmas cards after Christmas?"

Wickford post was delayed earlier this month after Royal Mail refused to take on more staff to cope with the festive period. Workers also took strike action in November.

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