FURIOUS residents from East Ipswich have been shocked to see bags of mail left in gardens in their street, waiting for delivery staff to pick them up.Michael Talbot, from Baxter Avenue, first noticed the morning drops in the run-up to Christmas, and is concerned at the lack of security being demonstrated by the Royal Mail.

FURIOUS residents from East Ipswich have been shocked to see bags of mail left in gardens in their street, waiting for delivery staff to pick them up.

Michael Talbot, from Baxter Avenue, first noticed the morning drops in the run-up to Christmas, and is concerned at the lack of security being demonstrated by the Royal Mail.

He said: “The van comes around and drops a bag or sometimes two off in a garden in Shackleton Road.

“The postman isn't there and they are left in the garden until he comes along to collect them. It isn't very secure - anyone could go in there, pick them up and disappear.

“Who knows what is in the mailbags! I've contacted the Royal Mail and they have just said it is standard practice.”

Mr Talbot was not aware of having lost any items of mail himself, but felt he could not be sure no bags had ever been stolen.

He said: “It does seem like an extraordinary way of distributing quite large amounts of mail. The security is non-existent.”

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said sacks were routinely left at secure locations with the agreement of property owners to be collected by delivery officers.

He said: “No mail would be left in full view at the side of the road, it certainly isn't the case that it would be dumped there.

“But we do leave mail in secure places with the agreement of property owners.

“However as this location has now been compromised we will have to look for another location to leave the mail.

“But there have been no reports of any mail being stolen from this location.”