SIR - One of the reasons given for the recent 24-hour postal strike was that Royal Mail wants to stop Saturday deliveries.

I can remember when post was delivered on Christmas Day, as Boxing Day was once the only recognised holiday for postmen during that festive period.

Postwatch, an independent watchdog for mail services, warned that the strike could severely delay essential mail such as hospital appointments, bills and travel tickets (T&A, June 28), but surely the permanent loss of a Saturday service would have the same effect.

In a highly competitive market reforms are often deemed necessary to safeguard jobs, but not in this case as 40,000 job losses are threatened according to the communication workers' union.

Whatever the outcome of this current dispute, it might make us appreciate more the stalwart people who trudge our streets through rain and shine to give a service that we all too often take for granted.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford