SIR, — At 7.20am on Saturday, February 21, I was in my kitchen when I heard the rustle of paper falling on the front doormat. I immediately checked and found a Royal Mail card addressed to my wife advising: Sorry, you were out. Your packet could not be d

SIR, - At 7.20am on Saturday, February 21, I was in my kitchen when I heard the rustle of paper falling on the front doormat. I immediately checked and found a Royal Mail card addressed to my wife advising: "Sorry, you were out. Your packet could not be delivered. It's too big for your letterbox."

I then saw a postman get into his van and drive away. The door bell had not been rung. I checked. It rang loudly. I immediately phoned St Albans delivery office. The card advised Saturday opening from 0700 - 1300. I explained and was told the packet could not now be delivered until Monday. On reflection I phoned again intending to ask why delivery could not be that morning as clearly the driver had made no attempt to deliver the packet. Despite making 18 attempts between 8am and 1pm on each occasion the phone just rang until it cut off.

I received the packet on the Monday morning. The driver was polite, obviously aware, apologised and said he was not the driver concerned but had he been he would have rung the door bell. He was unaware of my 18 unanswered phone calls

I have written two letters of complaint addressed to the delivery office manager personally delivered to the delivery office on February 24 and March 10. In each I explained the non-delivery and the non-answering of the phone. Neither has been acknowledged.

This is my second recent such experience at this time on a Saturday morning. It is a very poor advertisement for a public service.

ROBERT PADGET,

Pirton Close, St Albans.