Residents of Old Marston, in Oxford, who have already waited more than a year for their postbox to be replaced, may have to wait another nine months.

That is how long Royal Mail estimates it will take to get planning permission and carry out checks to ensure work will not interfere with electricity and phone cables and gas and water pipes.

The postbox in Oxford Road was damaged while new homes where being built in November last year.

Royal Mail initially promised that the box would be replaced but, last month, said it was not needed because there were two other boxes within 500m.

Following protests that the boxes were in cul-de-sacs which entailed a long walk, Royal Mail has now said a replacement will be provided.

But spokesman Richard Hall said that, because preparatory work had not yet started, it could take up to nine months.

Mr Hall said the confusion over the box's future had been due to a change of staff.

He added: "The incumbent in the job had made a commitment to replace it and subsequently left and the new manager wasn't aware of that.

"Now that we have been made aware of that earlier commitment, we will be replacing the box."

But he said the work could take up to nine months.

City councillor Mary Clarkson could not understand why Royal Mail thought it needed planning permission, adding: "That has got to be utter rubbish, because it was part of the original planning conditions for the property that the post box be replaced.

"I'm pleased they are going to put it back, but I'm going to get on to them and say 'please can you do it as soon as possible'.

"I'm not convinced that it's going to take nine months - it takes that long to put up a housing development."