SHOCKED residents are sorting through sack loads of old post today after it emerged their mail had been going missing for the past four years.

SHOCKED residents are sorting through sackloads of old post today after it emerged their mail had been going missing for the past four years.

Wedding invitations, credit card statements, solicitors' letters and even a confirmation of a place to study at Cambridge University were among the items returned to people living in Ipswich's Purdis Farm Lane and Bucklesham Road.

Because the acceptance letter was not delivered one man never realised his dream of studying at the prestigious university and, two years later, is at Bath University instead.

A 36-year-old man of Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, has since been arrested on suspicion of theft in connection with the massive haul of post.

Chrissy Grainger, who lives in Purdis Farm Lane, said she had written to Royal Mail to complain that some of her post had gone missing, but had been assured by the company that nothing was amiss.

Mrs Grainger added: “We had share certificates go missing, they were small amounts but we couldn't ever redeem them.

“We had a wedding invitation go missing from my husband's brother which we thought was quite strange.

“I think it is going to be surprising when I find out exactly what is there.”

The first Mrs Grainger and her neighbours knew of the scandal was when they received a letter from Royal Mail's Ipswich East delivery office in Foxtail Road yesterday.

It said: “I am sorry to advise you that mail for your local delivery area has recently been recovered after being withheld from delivery by a Royal Mail employee.

“In some cases items of mail may be a number of years old.

“In some instances, due to the volume of items recovered, it would be inappropriate to deliver through your letterbox.”

Now dozens of families are anxiously waiting to discover what should have come through the letterbox years ago but was never delivered.

They can pick up their post at the Foxtail Road office between 10am and 2pm, or wait at home on Sunday for their post to be delivered between 9am and 2pm.

The arrested man has been released on bail to return to Ipswich Police Station on December 11.

Today a spokeswoman for Royal Mail pledged to investigate the theft thoroughly together with Suffolk police.

She added: “We can confirm a man has been arrested in Ipswich over allegations of theft and delay of the mail following the recovery of a significant number of items at an address in the town.

“Investigations into the case continue and we are working closely with police.

“While we understand the concern this will cause such incidents remain rare and Royal Mail and its people have a zero tolerance policy against any instances of delaying or interfering with the mail and the security of customers' mail remains of paramount importance.

“We have written and apologised to all customers affected and all mail recovered will be delivered, we would urge any customers to contact us direct if they wish to discuss the matter further.”