Royal Mail halts its postal overhaul until after Christmas, a week after Burnham warned of 'further measures'

Royal Mail's rollout has stalled short of its target: the remaining 107 delivery offices will not make the switch until 11 January, leaving the company's aim of converting all 1,200 sites by Christmas unmet. Earlier this month the Communication Workers Union warned the service was 'on the brink of collapse'. Royal Mail achieved next-day delivery of just 85 per cent of first-class mail, well below Ofcom's 90 per cent target. Chief executive Alistair Cochrane insists first-class service has improved by 9 per cent.

The overhaul moves second-class post to alternate weekdays and scraps Saturday second-class deliveries.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the service 'unacceptable for far too long'.

Royal Mail's parent company passed into the hands of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky last year.