Weoley Castle mail deliveries halted after 'dogs threaten postmen'

The junction of Kinnerton Crescent and Dormston Drive

Mail deliveries to some houses in Birmingham have been suspended after two postmen were threatened by dogs off their leads, Royal Mail said.

Deliveries to a number of addresses have been halted in the Kinnerton Crescent and Dormston Drive B29 postcode area in Weoley Castle.

Royal Mail said it could not guarantee the safety of staff until action was taken to secure the dogs.

Suspending deliveries was "always a last resort," it said.

In the first incident a postman had to defend himself from two dogs off the lead.

The postman and his delivery postman partner were threatened the next day by the dogs outside an address in Dormston Drive, Royal Mail said.

It said it had taken the "difficult decision to temporarily suspend deliveries" and the incidents had been reported to police.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Suspension of delivery is always a last resort and we sincerely apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by this temporary suspension."

On average eight postmen and women a day are attacked by dogs across the UK with more than 2,960 attacks taking place from April 2014 to April last year, some leading to a permanent disabling injury, Royal Mail said.

Steve Reid, of the Communication Workers Union in Birmingham, said: "We had two colleagues of mine, one in Sheffield and one in Cambridge, who had life-threatening injuries where one guy nearly lost a limb.

"Many years ago I was delivering in Hall Green. I actually got pinned against a shed by an Alsatian and it's very frightening."

The Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Affected customers can collect their mail from the local delivery office or they can arrange for their mail to be redirected to another local address at no cost, if that is more convenient."