Two days of national postal strikes will take place next week after Royal Mail and unions failed to strike a last minute deal.
The Communication Workers Union announced this afternoon that there would be nationwide stoppages next Thursday and Friday.
The CWU repeated its offer of further talks with Royal Mail management to avert the industrial action, which will see postal deliveries ground to a halt.
Royal Mail responded by saying that the move was an “appalling and unjustified” attack on customers.