POOR old Mrs Mann suffered a funny turn at the weekend when she found out the price of a first class stamp could be rising to 42p.

She was drawing her pension when she heard a couple discussing it at length in the post office. I must say I was most alarmed to hear this, especially given Royal Mail's recent decision to award postmen bonuses of £1,074.

So what on earth is going on with Royal Mail?

First they're announcing record losses and abandoning two deliveries a day. Next they're handing out huge bonuses. And who is this chappy called Crozie, and what has he done that is so good to merit a £2.2million bonus? Something is up here.

I mean how can Royal Mail justify throwing money at its staff, all in the name of bonuses, and then turn around and charge us an extra 12 pence a stamp?

But that's assuming they deserve a bonus, and I'll tell you what, our local lad has done nothing of late to make me believe he's worth that extra £1,074.

If the scruffy bloke is not late he's stuffing our letter box full of next door's mail. And ever since they scrapped the second post all our important mail seems to arrive at a snail's pace.

Well, regardless of what the money men say at Royal Mail, I can certainly say that my service has certainly deteriorated in recent times.

I think it's outrageous and immoral that these people are rewarded for doing a job they're already paid to do.

That sort of thing wouldn't have happened in my day!