Postmen forced to wear gloves to empty mailboxes

Oct 10 2008 by Caroline Boxer, Strathearn Herald

POSTIES in Crieff have had to be issued with gloves to empty one of the town’s most historic post boxes.

Dating back to Victorian times the post box in Pittenzie Road has long been part of the history of the Strath capital but its existence is now under threat.

The hole in the wall box has become a magnet for a variety of waste materials, some more disgusting than others.

The details of the dirty discoveries were given during Crieff Community Council’s monthly meeting. Summarising some of the finds, Secretary James MacGregor, who had been contacted by Royal Mail about the issue, explained: “When the local posties come to empty the box in Pittenzie Road they often find it filled with additional items other than mail, including sweet and crisp wrappers, half filled bottles of juice and cigarette ends, which have, on examination of the mail obviously been thrown into the box still lit.

“The worst finds have been dog waste and used condoms.

“Local posties have been issued with gloves to wear when they empty the box but Royal Mail are now considering closing the box to the public if this continues.”

Mr MacGregor also revealed that the Pittenzie Road post box was not the only one to be issued with a ‘health warning’. He stated that in the last few months there had also been issues with the box in King Street, which had become a popular dog’s toilet stop. Mr MacGregor stated that the dog mess on the post box had got so bad that specialist cleaners had to be called in to clean it up before the postie could empty it.

A Royal Mail spokesperson, yesterday issued a strong warning to the perpetrators, stating: “We deplore mindless acts of vandalism like this and treat any such incidents as very serious indeed. Every item of mail is important to us and we would encourage anyone with information to contact the local police.”