Royal Mail has apologised to residents at Cumnor Hill, Oxford, who say they have to wait until 2.30pm for their "morning" post.

For nearly two years people living in Arnold's Way have had to put up with late deliveries because of an overtime arrangement with postmen.

But after residents complained to the Oxford Mail's sister paper The Oxford Times, Royal Mail promised to rectify the third-class service. Royal Mail spokesman, Richard Hall, said the problem stemmed from an old agreement, known as "Spanish practices" aimed at boosting postmen's pay.

It had worked well when the overtime was being done by a postal worker who had completed his night shift, he said.

"That person is no longer carrying out that duty but the delivery is currently still being done on overtime. We agree that the situation is not acceptable." He promised a national revisions programme, already under way, would be taking a close look at areas which failed to meet a 9.30am delivery target in town areas.

He said: "We will also be looking at some short-term measures to try to alleviate the problem and get the mail out at a more acceptable time, because it will be a month or so before the revisions are complete." Bert Beuzeval, a gardener, of Arnold's Way, said at least 47 homes were affected by late deliveries and they had all heard promises to deal with the problem before.

Mr Beuzeval said: "This has been going on for about two years now. We used to have a marvellous service."