POST has still been left unattended in gardens despite Royal Mail vowing to stop the practice postmen call unsecured bag drops.' In November, your Worcester News revealed Royal Mail were allowing bags of letters and parcels to be left in doorways, front gardens and wheelie bins, for postmen to collect during their rounds.

After alerting Royal Mail to the practice, they said all unsecured bag drops across the city had been withdrawn.

According to one Worcester postman the practice has stopped, but during the Christmas period it was re-instated, and bags of Christmas cards and presents were left unattended.

"There were a couple of times over Christmas when bags were dropped but nothing on a permanent basis," said the postman, who wishes to remain anonymous.

He said deliveries which were done on bikes are now being carried-out using trailers, and extra pouch boxes have been installed across the city.

"Four or five pouch boxes have been put up that I know of and some have been re-commissioned by putting new locks on them," he said.

Shops are also being used to store the bags, although some premises which used to store the bags no-longer wanted to after the story in your Worcester News. "It is swings and roundabouts with the shops," the postman said. "They said we do not want to do it anymore, we cannot sell the paper and have the bags on show' but other shops said we can take some for you.' "

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "The only drop points authorised for use by the management of Royal Mail Worcester are those that comply with our security guidelines.

"If we receive any evidence that unsecured drop points are being used we will investigate and act accordingly."