Residents are calling for Royal Mail to reinstate postal deliveries in the area of Meltham where a postman was mauled by a dog.

Royal Mail suspended deliveries to addresses in and around Golcar Brow Road following the incident on Friday, July 22, in which the postman received serious injuries. The dog had to be hit several times with a shovel before it would let go.

The postman underwent emergency surgery at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary following the attack, which lasted several minutes.

Nab Crescent, Meltham
Nab Crescent, Meltham

Since Royal Mail suspended deliveries, residents affected have had to collect their post from Holmfirth post office – but elderly and disabled people are finding it difficult.

Retired funeral director Kenneth Mousley, who lives at Nab Crescent, said: “I have collected mail for people at four houses. One lady is 85 and has no chance of getting to Holmfirth. Another is very severely disabled.

“We have a lady who works from home and has to go the Holmfirth three times a week to collect her mail. I went to get my post and I had a letter notifying me of a hospital appointment next week. If I hadn’t collected it, I would have lost my appointment.”

VIDEO: Reporter Chloe Glover describes the dog attack in July

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Mr Mousley said Royal Mail had started dropping off post for the streets affected at Meltham post office, but the practice was abandoned because that post office, housed in the Carlile Institute building, did not have enough space.

Mr Mousley said he had suggested to Royal Mail that a mail van call at the car park in Golcar Brow Road between 9am and 10am each morning for people to come and collect their post, but he had received no response to the idea.

Kenneth Mousley and neighbours at Nab Crescent, Meltham, who aren't getting their mail delivered
Kenneth Mousley and neighbours at Nab Crescent, Meltham, who aren't getting their mail delivered

He said: “No one is telling us anything and we haven’t had an explanation why we are still not getting deliveries.”

Several residents have received letters from Royal Mail warning them to keep their dogs restrained at all times or face legal action in the event of a dog attack.

Mr Mousley said Royal Mail knew which properties had dogs, adding: “If they want to continue suspending deliveries to those addresses, that’s fine – but why should everyone else suffer?

“We all sympathise with the postman who was attacked, but it has been eight weeks now and it is getting ridiculous.”

Three years ago Royal Mail suspended deliveries to 120 addresses in the Meltham area following a dog attack in Copley Avenue which left postman Jason Lee needing plastic surgery after he had chunks of flesh and muscle torn from his arm.

Figures released by Royal Mail in July showed that 16 postal delivery workers were bitten by dogs in Huddersfield in the past 12 months.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said the company was “looking at what we can do locally” but was unable to comment further.