Parcel postboxes to be rolled out around the UK

Parcel postboxes will be launching across the country as Royal Mail tries to cater for the continuing growth in online shopping.

They will allow people to post pre-paid parcels around the clock, while customers will be able to return things more easily.

Royal Mail says the 1,400 postboxes will be introduced to 38 towns and cities from August, Birmingham, Leeds, Aberdeen and Cardiff.

It comes after a successful three-month trial in Northampton and Leicester last year.

Mark Street, Royal Mail's head of campaigns, said: "The wide-scale introduction of parcel postboxes is one of the many ways we are looking to make the lives of our customers easier.

"The parcel postboxes trial last year was a success, and we hope that the wider roll-out gives added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours."