MEMBERS of staff from sorting offices in the east Midlands are being drafted in to ease the backlog of letters and parcels in strike-hit areas of Kent.

Meanwhile it has been announced that post boxes in Maidstone are being sealed with the public advised not to post anything until further notice.

The workers from the Nottingham area are dealing with the post in Maidstone - one of three Kent towns hit by unofficial strike action.

The strike in Kent began in Dartford on Tuesday of last week after a member of staff was suspended. Workers in Maidstone and Gravesend joined the industrial action this week. Today there appeared to be no end to the strike in sight.

The Royal Mail has stressed that management have been doing everything they can to keep the postal system in Kent working. However, it admitted the system was not working at anything like its normal speed.