ACVILLAGERS are missing the post since collection times changed without warning, it has been claimed.

Bramhope residents previously had until 6.30pm each weekday to catch collections from the village post office, and up to 5.30pm from other post boxes in the village.

But parish councillor John Mordy said that thA at some boxes up to an hour earlier, and makes its last collection from the post office at 6pm. Coun Mordy said there had been no notices put up tell villagers about the changes, and he feels some people may now miss out on the service.

He said: "It didn't seem very good to me. People working outside Bramhope could miss out."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "We have been re-timing 181 post boxes in the LS, HG and WF postcode areas, which have received collections either above or below our service standard. In the Aireborough sector, four post boxes are due for collection at 6.30pm, and there were, in actual fact, 23 boxes receiving collections at this time.

"The reason is to cut costs while at the same time ensure that customers' mail arrives at the Leeds Mail Centre in good time to be sorted and dispatched so we can hit our first class targets."

There will continue to be a 6.30pm collection time in the area.