Royal Mail faces huge fine over late letters

Royal Mail was under renewed pressure today as it admitted one in five first-class letters is delivered late.

The company faces a huge fine from regulator Postcomm, as well as a compensation bill which could run into tens of millions of pounds.

In a report to be published this month it is expected to reveal it failed to meet any of its 15 targets for deliveries

between April and June. This follows an apology from chief executive Adam Crozier after it missed all targets for the year to the end of March.

Andy Frewin, from pressure group Postwatch, said: "This is simply a fiasco. The service continues to deteriorate and we need the company to get a grip."