Welsh village loses Christmas deliveries after dog bites postie

Elderly and disabled residents of a Swansea Valley village have had their postal deliveries stopped after a dog attacked a postal worker.

Deliveries to streets in the Zoar Road area of Ystalyfera have been suspended, after a mastiff roaming loose bit a postwoman on November 2.

In one final letter from the Royal Mail, residents were told: "A health and safety risk assessment was undertaken and confirmed that the level of risk associated with delivering to your property was unacceptably high due to the threat of further dog attacks."

They've been told they must collect their post from Pontardawe, five miles away, or make alternative arrangements.

But locals say that the dog is no longer a problem.

"It's been dealt with by the police and there is no further hazard with the dog owner," resident Catt Spence tells the South Wales Evening Post.

"They suspended our mail, but we have elderly and disabled residents living on our street. We have to go to Pontardawe delivery office instead."

But Royal Mail wants more reassurance.

"Royal Mail will carry out its own further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident in due course, and we will continue to work with the dog owner and local police to ensure the dog is restrained," its letter reads.

"I'm very sorry to advise that until such time as we can guarantee this we are unable to access your property and deliver mail safely."

And it's refused to say whether deliveries will be reinstated in time for Christmas.

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The Royal Mail has been getting tougher over aggressive dogs - and with reason. Nearly three thousand postmen and women were attacked across the UK between April 2014 and April 2015 - some of whom were left permanently disabled as a result.

However, that figure's 10% down on the previous year, following the introduction of new legislation giving people legal protection against dog attacks on private property.

"It is so important for the safety of all postmen and women that dog owners ensure their animals are secure, particularly if opening the door to sign for a parcel or letter. Owners should put their dog in another room before opening the door," says Dave Joyce, national health and safety officer of the Communication Workers Union.

"If it's in the back garden, ensure it is contained and can't get round to the front of the house. Customers can fit a letterbox cage to protect their mail and postmen's fingers or fit a secure outside mail box on the edge of their property to avoid any confrontations."

This isn't the first time, though, that the Royal Mail has been accused of extending a delivery ban too broadly. Last year, for example, it blocked deliveries to the whole of a Blackburn street after a postman was bitten by an American pitbull.

And a year earlier, a whole estate in Salford had its post suspended because of a single dog.