MISDIRECTED mail – including recorded-delivery items that ought to be individually signed for – is being delivered to the South Wales Argus office on an almost daily basis.

The latest batch of mail delivered to our Cardiff Road headquarters, but which was not addressed to the Argus, included several items that should have been destined for the passport office in Newport.

The items had red recorded- delivery stickers on them, and appeared to contain passports.

Passport Office-destined mail regularly turns up in first delivery mail sacks, but so too do quantities of mail addressed to the likes of the Intellectual Property (formerly Patent) Office, and the Royal Gwent Hospital.

“It is concerning because many of these items should be signed for, but they are turning up in our mail instead,” said Argus deputy editor Nicole Garnon.

“In this latest example, people appear to have sent out passport applications by recorded delivery and yet they will not arrive at the Passport Office as quickly as they should.

“This mail certainly should not have arrived with us in the first place.”

Argus reception staff send back the misdirected items with the postman who brings the day’s second delivery.

A Royal Mail spokesman said; “We would like to thank the Argus for bringing this to our attention. We sincerely apologise for the misdelivery of these items and any inconvenience caused to our customers.

“This was down to human error and we have now put measures in place to ensure it does not happen again.

“Royal Mail delivers 59 million items to nearly 29 million addresses across the UK six days a week, and if any customers have concerns about their mail service, we want to hear from them. They should contact Royal Mail Customer Services on 08457 740740.”