A CLUTCH of Hampshire MPs are saying enough is enough - and are stepping in to tackle the county's postal crisis.

Winchester MP Mark Oaten has received nearly 50 complaints from disgruntled residents and is now gearing up for a head-to- head meeting with under-fire Royal Mail bosses.

"I have had a huge number of complaints about postal deliveries in my constituency. Things are not good enough," said the Lib Dem frontbencher.

"I want to discuss first-hand these problems and find out what Royal Mail intend to do to improve the service."

He explained people in Winchester were either receiving mail several hours late - or it was not turning up at all.

He added: "Businesses are finding it extremely difficult to run day-to-day if they can't keep promises on deliveries."

Scores of residents have complained they are waiting days for important letters, parcels and cheques after controversial cutbacks. The service breakdown has triggered a Daily Echo Postwatch campaign, and we reported how the shortage of postmen and spiralling sickness levels had left piles of postbags unattended in sorting offices.

Already Romsey MP Sandra Gidley has called on government ministers to address the problem.

Today Conservative MP Andrew Turner also said he had written to Postwatch, the industry watchdog, about "disgraceful" postal services on the Isle of Wight.

He was staggered when the organisation admitted it could not deal speedily with his inquiries - because the Royal Mail's own reply had become stuck in the postal backlog.

A spokesman for Mr Turner said: "It is getting beyond a joke. The Royal Mail said things would improve when it switched to a single delivery - but it seems to have been an excuse to let things slip."

Staff working at New Forest East MP Julian Lewis's Cadnam HQ said they had received fewer than ten complaints.

A spokesman for the Conservative politician said: "Maybe people around here feel lucky to be getting a service at all."

Dr Lewis has also planned meetings with Postwatch representatives and officials at the Totton sorting office. Tory MP Mark Hoban said postal problems had not struck his Fareham constituency - but promised to act immediately if they did.

Have you had problems with your mail? Contact Claire Moriarty at the Daily Echo on 023 8042 4495 or e-mail claire.moriarty@soton-echo.co.uk

Remember also to report problems to Royal Mail's Single Delivery Helpline on 0845 602 4536.