THOUSANDS of Hampshire motorists have been told they will be taken to court for not paying fines - because Royal Mail did not deliver their payments.

A blunder meant post did not reach Eastleigh Magistrates' Court where the fines are dealt with.

Some tickets issued by police still have an old Southampton address on them and over the last month Royal Mail failed to divert them.

Now staff face a huge backlog and have to wade through more than 2,000 fines.

Motorists who thought they had lawfully paid have received final warning letters from courts who think they have skipped the charge.

James Ahrens, 18, received a £60 fine and three-point penalty for speeding through Hythe in the early hours of June 20. He went straight to the post office later that day and sent off the fine in a postal order.

But his family were shocked when they got a notice this week saying that no fine had been received and he had 21 days to pay £90 or face the possibility of being arrested and taken to court.

This has outraged James's stepfather, Cleveland Sherriff, of Round Copse, Dibden, near Southampton.

Mr Sherriff, 52, said: "It is appalling. James was issued a ticket, paid the fine and completed it with the address that was on the ticket.

"If they have changed address then why are tickets still being issued with the wrong address on them?"

James, said: "I think that the police should not have tickets with the wrong address on them, it is stupid."

Director of operation services at Hampshire Magistrates courts committee, Peter Downton, has told motorists who have paid not to worry as they will not face a court appearance.

"Royal Mail mislaid a huge batch of mail for us for a period and we did not know about it.

"We are going through all the mail that we have now received and where we have come across those people that have sent their payment in all the action taken against them will be with- drawn."

Spokesman for Consignia, Adrian Booth, said measures had now been taken to prevent the problem happening again and that delivery managers would be handing over the mail at Eastleigh Magistrates' Court themselves for the next few weeks.

He said: "We do apologise to anyone affected by this and we have measures in place now that should stop it happening again."