Your article in the Guardian on October 11 incensed me enough to write to you.

On September 11, at 1.15pm, I posted a letter in the mail box at the corner of Battersea Park Road and Falcon Road. First class postage and clearly addressed with post code.

I expected the letter to arrive at 12 Tregarvon Road, Battersea, by Thursday at the latest.

This item was delivered second mail on September 18 the post mark was October 11 and timed at 2.30pm.

On phoning the manager at Nine Elms sorting office I was given two very glib excuses. That it may have been sent north by mistake or it may have got stuck in the sorting machine.

I was offered the customer care departments phone number, which I had.

Phoning the customer care department with a complaint, I was told by a woman that my complaint could not be registered as the letter was received within 10 days.

So much for the Royal Mails promise of next day delivery for first class mail. My letter only had to travel about three and a half miles.

As you will have noticed, I have posted this second class postage as it seems to have much better chance of delivery.

As I was finishing this letter my door bell rang. I answered it to find a parcel on my door mat and no postman in sight.

MARGARET HARPER

Totteridge House

Yelverton Road

Battersea