Royal Mail worker refuses to hand over package without baby’s signature

November 7, 2009 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News

A Royal Mail worker told the grandfather of a nine-day-old baby that the package in the baby’s name required the baby’s signature.

John Berry wasn’t expecting a package for his nine-day-old granddaughter, Amber, to arrive from Australia. So when the postman dropped a card in his box saying the unexpected package had arrived, Berry hopped on his bike and rode three miles to Cheltenham, Gloucestershire to pick up the package and see who it was from.

However, when Berry arrived, the postal clerk told him that the addressed person on the package had to sign for it. Berry told the clerk that the addressed person was his infant granddaughter, but the clerk wouldn’t back down.

“It was absolutely ridiculous. I was frustrated because I had many forms of identification on me, including my driving license, which proved I lived at the address on the parcel,” said Berry.

“He still wouldn’t allow me to take the package, claiming that Amber needed to sign for it herself. I told him she was a baby but he kept persisting.”

Hazel Berry, John Berry’s wife and a civil servant herself, agreed, telling the Echo: “I think it’s absolute madness, it makes you want to scream. When John was told, he couldn’t believe it. He said, ‘It’s a baby for goodness sake — she can’t write.’ But they didn’t seem to care.”

“We’re talking about a nine-day-old child — our first grandchild, who we’ve waited so long for. When I called to complain, they cited data protection law. This country has gone stupid; there’s red tape everywhere.”

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said that it’s policy to require formal identification with both the name and address of the recipient if the name on the package doesn’t match.

“We are sorry to learn about the difficulties experienced by Mr. Berry and apologize for any inconvenience caused,” said the spokesman.

“His complaint is being investigated by the local delivery manager. We are pleased to confirm that arrangements have been made for the package to be redelivered today.”