The former postman at the centre of the dumped mail scandal exclusively revealed in last week's Guardian had been hoarding post for more than a year.

Dai Lewis, a 55-year-old former rugby coach, had amassed at least one-and-a-half tonnes of letters, packages and junk mail at his home at Maescynog, Ystradgynlais, before leaving his job as a postie more than 12 months ago.

Lewis, who worked mainly in the sorting office, had been expected to deliver the post when covering for colleagues who were either sick or on holiday.

Instead, the divorced father-of-one stashed 40,000 items, addressed to homes and businesses in the Amman and Swansea valleys, at his semi-detached home.

The scandal only came to light when Lewis, who was due to move out of his house two weeks ago to move in with his girlfriend, tried to send Britain's biggest ever hoard of undelivered post for recycling.

Workers at the JLA Recycling depot at Palleg, near Cwmtwrch, raised the alarm after two skips arrived at the plant filled with undelivered letters.

The workers contacted the police.

In the meantime, a third skip arrived, filled with yet more letters and a warm incinerator containing scorched envelopes.

Lewis now faces a possible prison sentence on charges of delaying the mail.

The Royal Mail has said the undelivered post will eventually find its intended targets.

"We will redeliver as much recoverable mail as possible as soon as possible," said a spokesman.