A HOSPICE has resorted to collecting its own post after enduring months of late and lost orders, even though the sorting office is less than a five minute walk away.

Sobell House, which provides respite care for people with life threatening illnesses, contacted us after we carried out a special investigation into the county's failing postal service.

The charity is based at the Churchill Hospital, Headington, but processes orders for its lucrative £44,000-a-year Christmas card service in a warehouse in Witney, just around the corner from the Royal Mail sorting office in Station Lane.

The Royal Mail says it is concerned and will look into the complaints.

Kath Morris, head of fundraising at Sobell House, believes lost post, late raffle stubs sent in by hopeful entrants, and Christmas card orders that took over two months to arrive, have all lost the charity much needed money.

She said: "Last week we received a Christmas card order for £25.

"It was posted on November 16 last year and was in a printed freepost envelope, which the Royal Mail gives us free.

"We also received ticket stubs and money for our Christmas Draw which closed on December 17, also in a Freepost envelope dated November 30.

"Christmas card samples which were sent to us from a printing house several weeks ago have still not arrived, despite being sent through twice.

"Goodness knows what else has been sent to us which has never arrived."

The charity found the service so poor at the end of last year that staff were forced to go and collect post themselves.

Mrs Morris added: "The Royal Mail certainly costs this charity money."

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said: "We are concerned to hear of the problems the hospice have experienced with their mail deliveries.

"If they have not done so already we would urge them to contact Royal Mail Customer Service with full details of the items in question so we can look at problems they have experienced."