COUNCILLOR Julia Wassell joined hordes of angry pensioners when she sat on a makeshift post-box in protest after Royal Mail refused to erect a box near their homes.

Elderly residents of St Hugh's Avenue, Windrush Drive and the council run sheltered accommodation, Chartridge House, Micklefield, gathered where they would like a post box, on Friday.

Pensioner Doris Brooks, 92, of St Hugh's Avenue, is furious after she said the Royal Mail said the area was already well provided with letter boxes in Hatters Lane and Hicks Farm Rise and the company feared attacks of vandalism if extra boxes were placed in the area.

But steep hills leading to both post boxes pose huge problems for elderly residents, many of whom are disabled, and pensioners have spent years campaigning for another box.

Mrs Brooks said: "The hills around here could kill you and most of us have no transport to get to the boxes in the valley. I use a walking frame so I just have to rely on others to go for me."

Councillor Wassell (Lab, Keep Hill and Hicks Farm) has written to Royal Mail asking them to reconsider their decision.

She said: "It's an absolute disgrace that they have been fobbed off with such an excuse.

Dorothy Porteus, 85, of Windrush Drive, says that the difficulty getting up and down means some pensioners feel trapped in their homes.

"Many of the older people up here have difficulty enough getting around and these hills are impossible. They could have a serious accident," she said.

The Royal Mail was unavailable for comment.