POST boxes in the Cotswolds are among those that will have earlier collection times due to an overhaul of the service by Royal Mail.

As the result of a national review, collection times are being changed for between 45,000 to 50,000 of Royal Mail’s 115,300 post boxes across the UK.

Across the Cotswolds the dedicated collection of post by a van round during the afternoon or evening will no longer take place.

Instead the post will be picked up from boxes by the postman or woman as part of their daily delivery round.

In most cases this will mean the post will be collected from boxes earlier in the day than has been the case in the past.

Towns and villages across the district, such as Somerford Keynes where notices have already been put up on one of the two post boxes in the village, are facing changes to their current post box collection times.

Val Bodden, who is a spokesman for Royal Mail, said: “Clear signposting will be provided for customers on the relevant postboxes, indicating the location of their nearest late posting box.

“Existing postboxes further than half a mile from a late posting facility are not included as part of these changes.

“A significant decline in letter volumes means that many postboxes no longer cover their costs.

“Rather than decommission uneconomic postboxes, Royal Mail has introduced changes to its collections arrangements.”