Sir – I wonder if your readers have had similar experiences. I sent the following letter to the customer service department of the Royal Mail.

‘A few weeks ago I sent a most attractive card to my granddaughter for her third birthday. It never arrived and, as it had two cheques in it, this is worrying.

It was in a purple envelope and unfortunately had the words “for 10 Oct” on it. This would appear to have attracted someone’s attention, thinking it might contain cash.

In June a card to my niece, which did contain cash, also never arrived.

Three years ago, cards to other relations with cheques in, also failed to arrive. They were posted in different boxes, so I suspect there are problems at the sorting office.

I wonder if you have had any other complaints? We were told not to send birthday cards to Thailand when my son was out there, as they tended to go astray. It seems a great pity that a similar practice seems to have reached the sorting office.’

Susan Clear, Oxford