Residents are demanding the return of their missing post box.

The post box at the Londis store in First Turn, Wolvercote, which is also a sub-post office was removed last year during building work.

Residents have to hand their mail over the counter or walk to the nearest post box once the store shuts at 7pm.

Dr Alison Redmayne, 69, of Blenheim Drive, said: "There are a lot of elderly people round here and this is really inconvenient because the shop isn't open all the time.

"It's ludicrous to have a sub-post office without a post-box outside and when the store is not open, I drive to the box in Sunderland Avenue, where I know there is going to be a collection, but that is polluting the environment.

"I got a new hip fitted recently and I can't cycle as far as Summertown any more. It's the same for a lot of people and the post office should fix this as soon as possible.

"I know if the Oxford Mail gets involved we will finally get somewhere with this."

Naresh Kotak, who runs the store, said the post box was removed when building work began last October.

He added: "The store has been extended but the work finished in January, so I don't know why it is taking so long to replace the post box.

"I have been told that because the post box will be in a new position, the Post Office has got to check if utilities are going to be affected when it is put up but that's just red tape.

"Customers have to hand their mail over the counter and I am really tired of it I have to take abuse from my customers because of this and it's not my fault. The sooner this is sorted out the better it has taken months and that is not good enough."

Royal Mail spokesman Adrian Booth said: "We are asking customers to bear with us and would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. We hope to restore the box in the near future it is in one of our yards waiting to be fitted.