Pensioner receives letter 13 years after it was sent
A PENSIONER was left stunned when he received a letter 13 years after it was posted.
The letter had been sent second-class by a Derby electrical rental store, telling Albert Sadler he owed £13.01 for a television and video player he rented on a monthly basis.
Radio Rentals, which used to be in East Street, posted the letter on August 17, 1995, but Albert only received it on Saturday.
The 87-year-old said: "I laughed when it came through. I was surprised because it's taken a very long while."
Radio Rentals has been closed in Derby since 2000.
A spokeswoman for Royal Mail was unable to confirm where the letter had been during the past 13 years.
It eventually arrived, wrapped in cellophane, with an apology from Royal Mail written on the back.
"It just gave a number to call if I was not satisfied," said Albert, of Birdcage Walk, Mackworth.
"The letter was mouldy and smelt quite a bit – that's why they put it in a plastic cover."
Albert, a retired chemical processor, said he was able to see the funny side of the blunder but insisted the matter could have been more serious.
He said: "I've had a laugh about it and it doesn't matter too much. But it easily could have been something important."
His wife Denise, 48, said it was amazing the letter had been lost for so long.
"I was quite shocked really. We don't know if the letter was found or who has re-sent it," she said.
Albert called the Evening Telegraph after reading in Monday's edition about another Royal Mail blunder in which Brian Blount sent a card from Belper to a bereaved friend in Nether Heage, which failed to be delivered within six weeks.
A spokeswoman for Royal Mail apologised for the inconvenience to Albert but could not explain the delay.
3 Comments
by debbie, derby
Thursday, October 16 2008, 1:45PM
“i have had quite a few letters go missing that were sent to my address eg my daughters exam results, birthday cards, benefits cheque and i rang royal mail and they tell you to fill in form and all you get back is an apology and 6 first class stamps the mail used to be really good but last 6 months its gone down hill i dont trust royal mail anymore”
by Paul, Norfolk
Thursday, October 16 2008, 11:20AM
“It took 4 days for a first class letter to arrive from Derby to Norfolk with tickets for the recent Derby v Norwich match. They only arrived just 1 hour before we set out for the match.
I can tell you why mail goes missing or gets delayed, it's because of staff cuts & cutbacks in services. Another great industry gone to the dogs.”
by Paul, Norfolk
Thursday, October 16 2008, 11:13AM
“It took 4 days for a first class letter to arrive from Derby to Norfolk, containing tickets for the Derby match with Norwich, posted from D.C.F.C. They only just got here in time, only 1 hour before setting out to the match. It is not the first time mail has been slow coming from Derby.
I can tell you why mail goes missing or gets delayed, it's all the cutbacks on staff & services. Another great industry gone to the dogs.”