Mail deliveries back after attack

Royal Mail bosses say the boycott of an estate where a postman was viciously attacked by a violent gang will be lifted on Saturday.

Talks have been going on between the Royal Mail and police since the postman was taken to hospital on Monday.

Thousands of residents on the Gascoigne estate in Barking, East London, have picked up their post from the sorting office since the delivery ban began.

The Royal Mail say it will be lifted after police safety assurances.

'Last resort'

A gang of around 15 youths took the keys to around 20 pillar boxes and stole the postman's van, his wallet and his phone after kicking and punching him to the ground.

The spokesman said to stop deliveries was a last resort.

"When we suspend deliveries it is almost always because of a safety issue when it is deemed too dangerous to send someone out.

This was one of the most violent attacks I have known on a member of staff Royal Mail spokesman

"We really do not like to do that. It is not good for customers and it doesn't help us when thousands of people have to queue up to collect their post at the sorting office, but when it comes to the health and safety of our staff we have to act.

"This was one of the most violent attacks I have known on a member of staff," he said.

"We can handle rain, sleet, snow but we will draw the line at assault on our staff."

Postmen are robbed for the keys to post boxes so that the attackers can rifle through the envelopes and steal cash and credit cards, he said.