SWINDON posties are star struck this Christmas.

Postmen and women got a visit to thank them for all their hardwork in the build up to the Christmas rush.

A Swindon postie decked out in sparkling costume appeared at the Swindon Mail Centre to spread the message of posting in good time.

This ensures friends and family receive your festive wishes and balances out the workload for postal staff.

In the SN postcode area alone, more than 38 million cards, letters and packets are expected to be handled during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The last posting date for second class post is Monday December 18 and Thursday December 21 for First Class post.

For European destinations the last post for articles up to two kilograms is December 14.

n The goodwill engendered by the visit was somewhat shortlived.

Only hours afterwards workers at the Dorcan sorting office went on unofficial strike in protest at being asked to sort post diverted to Swindon from the Cardiff sorting office, which was itself a week into its own industrial dispute.

However, the Christmas spirit was soon restored when the Dorcan workers returned to their work on Wednesday.