SEND your Christmas greetings early. That's the festive message from the Post Office.

Disruption to rail services has forced Royal Mail to bring in extra air and road services to cope with an estimated bundle of 60 million letters a day. More than 200 million cards and letters were posted in the North West in the four weeks leading up to Christmas last year.

The latest recommended posting dates are:

December 7 for air mail to destinations outside Europe.

December 14 for letters sent to Europe.

December 18 for second class mail.

December 21 for first class deliveries.