POSTAL deliveries in Oxford have continued their turnaround and are now in the top 30 in the country.

New research by consumer watchdog Postwatch put the OX postcode at 30th out of 116 areas nationally, two years after it was the worst in the country.

However, regionally it is the third worst performing out of 15 in the West Midlands.

It highlights a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of the Royal Mail in Oxfordshire which has been beset by poor performance and industrial action in recent years.

The statistics show 93.5 per cent of first-class mail was delivered the next day for the period between April 1 and December 31 last year.

This is a 0.4 per cent drop on the six monthly figure revealed last December, but still within the national performance target of 93 per cent set by watchdog Postcom.

The news was warmly welcomed by both union leaders and bosses.

Bob Cullen, Oxford area representative for the Communication Workers' Union, said: "Our performance is improving week on week and our target is 100 per cent delivered the next day.

"I am absolutely delighted that Oxford is in the top 30 in the country - this is just the start. Both the union and management are determined to drive us up there."

A key factor has been that despite a strike in the Witney and Carterton sorting office last year, there have been no industrial disputes in the Oxford Mail Centre for three years.

Royal Mail spokesman Sue Dakin said: "Postcode areas are in the premiership in the Midlands region by out-performing and meeting not only regional but also national targets.

"Our staff in Oxford deserve praise and should be encouraged to continue their good work."

Oxford's score is slightly below the 2005 full-year result of 93.6 per cent, but is expected to improve in the final quarter.

The top performing postcode areas in the country were Huddersfield and Kingston-upon-Thames, with 96 per cent of first-class mail delivered the next day. In the West Midlands region, Derby topped the list at 95.7 per cent.

The 2004 rating of 85.7 per cent made Oxford the worst performing area in the country after a series of wildcat strikes.