My, my, what a state we are in. Postal services wish to charge us for deliveries before 9am and raise the postal charges?

What a load of codswallop. There has been occasions when my mail hasn't arrived till 10.30am and that is not second delivery. My bank statement is dated fifth of each month and I should get it on the tenth. Let's forgive them if the tenth is on a Sunday, but this month it arrived on the 16th. My husband has a car magazine delivered each Wednesday. Last week it arrived on the Friday, the week before on the Thursday. Another item is, other neighbours getting our mail, which is addressed correctly and vice versa. Perhaps the post person should visit their optician.

Now the refuse collectors are on strike. No, I am not knocking these dear long suffering people who do an excellent service. This causes another problem. The charge of £1 per bag over the odds. Good if you are a pensioner (perhaps)! People who have maybe two or three offspring collect more garbage than a couple. Do we say to 'junior' "chuck the sweetie wrap/crispbag in the gutter who cares"! Another bin item is unsolicited mail.

Now this could leave us with the solution of firing the lot up in the incinerator sod the washing on peoples lines (as if we'd dare). However, there are neighbours who have asthma problems and such, so do we say "sorry Mr/Mrs So and So but there will be smoke for 20 minutes, so go indoors, shut your windows, shut your doors and shut up". The mind boggles.

Now the teachers may strike. Let them, then let the parents keep their children home on an allotted day and send notes saying "sorry we were on strike"!

MRS N RICHARDS

Arundel Close, Swindon