THE two sides in the bitter postal dispute appear to have reached an agreement.

Leaders of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) held marathon talks with Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier yesterday to try to break the deadlocked row about pay, jobs and pensions.

The talks continued even though Royal Mail had obtained a court injunction preventing the union from going ahead with a planned national strike on Monday and Tuesday.

The CWU and Royal Mail last night issued a joint statement which read: "The agreed terms covering all the issues in the dispute will be considered by the union's Executive on Monday.

"Both parties will make a further statement thereafter."

The union's executive is expected to meet on Monday to consider whether enough progress has been made to call off any further industrial action.

The Royal Mail took legal action in the High Court yesterday to prevent strikes going ahead next Monday and Tuesday and said it was trying to ensure that the huge backlog of mail caused by a series of strikes in the last week was cleared.

Last night's development came despite an escalation of wildcat strikes by thousands of postal workers in London, Liverpool and parts of Scotland, in fresh disputes about shift times and pay.

In Liverpool, the CWU said 800 postal staff had voted unanimously to stay out of work in their unofficial strike.

Speaking outside a meeting at Aintree racecourse, CWU official Mark Walsh said: "The result is a resounding no vote to return to work from our members.

"It is something I have to say, in 20 years of being involved in the trade union I have never seen anything like it in my life. There was not a hand from any man or woman in the room to return to work.

"I hope it does not come to legal action."

Shadow business secretary Alan Duncan said the Royal Mail had every right to take legal action to prevent the strikes.

"The actions of the trade unions are becoming increasingly irresponsible and are destroying the postal service and the futures of those who work for it," he said.

The British Chambers of Commerce has said the strike has made it impossible for businesses to go about their work.

Natalie Evans, the group's head of policy, said businesses were looking for alternatives and added that the strike could do "irreparable damage to the reputation of Royal Mail".