A very rare Victorian postbox has gone missing as residents say it was damaged in a crash and has since been removed.

The post box was located just outside Malvern Community Hospital, opposite Link Common, in Worcester Road, Malvern.

However, it has now gone with only a patch of tarmac to indicate its original position. Residents say a 'crash' caused the disappearance of the rare Victorian postbox.

Worcester News: CRASH: Police tape near where the rare Victorian post box was in Malvern CRASH: Police tape near where the rare Victorian post box was in Malvern (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Royal Mail has yet to confirm what has happened to the postbox, how badly it was damaged, or whether it will be repaired and replaced.

Police tape was still visible caught in a hedge and people in the town say there was an crash in which the post box was damaged. 

The Mayor of Malvern, Cllr Clive Hooper, said: "I was alarmed to see the postbox had been removed and the circumstances of its removal are not known to me.

"I think it's important it should not be lost and enquiries should be made with Royal Mail to see what they are proposing to do with it.

"One hopes it is in a state in which it can be repaired. Malvern is very fortunate it has these early Victorian letterboxes. There is only one of this particular kind as far as I'm aware which has this fluted design. They are very rare and part of our heritage."

Worcester News: ELEGANT: The fluted Victorian post box pictured by Malvern Civic Society ELEGANT: The fluted Victorian post box pictured by Malvern Civic Society (Image: Malvern Civic Society)

Mr Hooper, also vice-president of Malvern Civic Society and a former chairman, said the civic society had completed a survey of the boxes in 2008 and that some dated back to 1860.

READ MORE: Dumped sofa in Imperial Road as fly-tipping called 'blight'

READ MORE: Courtesy and carnage - Battle of Evesham this weekend

The report by the civic society said most postboxes were introduced into the United Kingdom in 1852 at the suggestion of Anthony Trollope the famous author, then a surveyor's clerk. It reads: "None of the very early boxes survives in Malvern but we do have three Victorian fluted boxes, which date from about 1860 and several Victorian wall boxes.

"Many famous Victorians and Edwardians lived in Malvern or came here to take the cure. It is fascinating to speculate how many letters from Darwin, Elgar, Bernard Shaw, Florence Nightingale and many others started their journey in a Malvern post box. Although we have attempted to record all the interesting post."

Paul Harding of Discover History said: "I'm sure it will be replaced, fingers crossed.

"I would encourage people to keep a look out over our shared heritage. Items are sometimes removed by accident, destroyed, damaged, and even stolen.

"A perfect example is the rare canal side crane that disappeared some years ago in Worcester or the sword that was stolen from a church in Bridgenorth many years ago. If something is removed, damaged, or even looks uncared for, please report it and follow it up at a later date."