Postal workers in Oxfordshire are still trying to clear a backlog of mail caused by unofficial strike action.

The Royal Mail said it had hoped services would return to normal by last weekend.

Managers say there are still bottlenecks in the system at delivery offices at Headington and in Osney Lane, Oxford.

It was expected that the backlog of post in Headington would be cleared by today and at the city centre office by tomorrow.

Royal Mail spokesman Floyd Jebson said: "We are very sorry there is still a backlog in the system. It is very close to being clear now and soon things will be back to normal."

Casual staff had been drafted in to help, but piles of extra Valentine's Day mail hampered efforts to clear the backlog from the strike.

Oxford homes and businesses are still not getting all their post - almost three weeks after the strike which crippled service came to an end.

One firm fighting foot and mouth disease by supplying animal disinfectants has blamed the Royal Mail after £3,000 worth of cheques failed to arrive.

Sue Hodnett, who runs animal hygiene products firm SPH Supplies, based in Murcott, near Bicester, said that if the cheques did not arrive within two weeks she would have to ask her customers to send them again. She said she relied on the cash flow to supply animal hygiene products - urgently needed to fight the outbreak - to zoos and other places where animals are kept. "It's a lot of rare species which are threatened," she said.

**Eleven postal workers, including two Communication Workers Union representatives, have had preliminary interviews to determine if they should face disciplinary action following the postal strike.