PEOPLE going to post a letter were left scratching their heads as a postbox at the junction of a busy road was sealed off.

Despite the postbox in Lyndon Avenue, Great Harwood, being open last Saturday, by Tuesday, a piece of sheet metal had been hammered to the opening, with no notification to say why or what for.

Residents were left baffled, with many feeling angry and frustrated, posting on social media to ask what was going on.

Unable to get an answer, it took the nous of local councillor Pat McGinley to come to the rescue and solve the mystery of the box which is on the junction with Harwood Road.

Cllr McGinley said: “As a local councillor, I checked with Blackburn post office as to why the postbox had been closed off and they said their driver locked it off as spiky bushes including blackberry ones had overgrown the entry side of the letterbox.

“Hyndburn Borough Council told the Post Office it was not their responsibility but did not help with advice.

“Stalemate ensued and realising who would suffer if the quibbling continued for another two or three weeks, I went down myself with some shears and gave the area a good trimming.

“Hopefully the Post Office driver will start emptying the postbox immediately.

“I even swept up after my mess.”

With the bushes neatly trimmed, the postbox was re-opened again on Thursday afternoon.

Great Harwood councillor, Cll Noordad Aziz said that he was also made aware of the problem and had been working with other councillors to try to establish the reason for its closure.

He said: “I have been contacted by a number of residents in relation to the closure of the Lyndon Avenue postbox.

“I alongside my fellow ward councillor Bernadette Parkinson are working with our MP Graham Jones to establish the reason for the closure.

“In addition, we are vehemently opposed to this being a permanent solution as it will deprive a significant number, many of them who are elderly, of the Great Harwood community easy access to post a letter with the post office being over a mile away.”

Residents have since commented that it should be mandatory for any postbox closure to be communicated to people through a notice placed on the postbox.