A post box which has fallen prey to hungry letter-eating snails is to be removed.
The post box in Rock Road in Storrington is coming under constant attack from the snails and other small animals.
Because any measures to stop them getting into the box would also prevent post being deposited there, Royal Mail is planning to remove it entirely.
A spokesman for Royal Mail said: “The post box has been invested with small wildlife several times (snails etc) which are attracted to and eat letters posted in there.
“We have needed to routinely clean it out but have now made the decision to remove the post box itself, subject to approval.”
The wall in which the box sits is owned by Caroline and Michael Beardsall. Mrs Beardall told Sussex News: “My husband actually wrote to The Times about ‘snail mail’.”
A planning application has been submitted by Royal Mail’s agents Livemore to Horsham District Council.
The application says: “Royal Mail is proposing to remove the post box at the above address as animals are constantly entering the post box and eating the mail.
The wall is privately owned and doesn’t appear to be within a conservation area. We trust the council has no objections to the proposed works taking place.
“We aim to instruct the works within the near future.”
This isn’t the first time a Royal Mail post box has been attacked by gastropods. Last summer, a postbox in Northumberland was also closed because they had been getting inside and eating mail.
