Postmen is Suffolk are being ordered to wear roller skates in a bizarre efficiency trial by Royal Mail bosses.

Managers believe posties will be able to deliver the mail much quicker if they are wearing the specially-adapted skates, meaning they can zip around faster - and squeeze a second round in each day.

But the unions are furious at the trial, pointing out that wearing roller skates is a serious health and safety issue for their members.

Already there have been reports of two postmen zooming down Bishop's Hill in Ipswich at 40 miles per hour, unable to stop until they bounced into the back of a bus.

Thankfully no postmen have been hurt, and the Suffolk Gazette understands the trial is to be halted next week.

A Royal Mail insider said: "The management dreamed up the idea after one of their children watched an episode of Postman Pat, in which Pat tried out some roller skates to get around faster.

"It ended up as you'd expect - a disaster. Now pressure from the unions and postmen themselves is likely to force a rethink.

"Some of the younger posties were getting along okay with their skates, but the older ones were struggling, particularly when their bags were full early on their rounds."

A spokesman for the Communication Worker's Union said: "We have made it clear this is not progress. Furthermore, it is downright dangerous.

"We're told the trial ends next week, and that rather than being extended nationally, it will be scrapped entirely."

It is believed the postmen will be allowed to keep their skates when the trial finishes.

<center><div class="getty embed image" style="background-color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#a7a7a7;font-size:11px;width:100%;max-width:372px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;position:relative;height:0;padding:69.556452% 0 0 0;width:100%;"><iframe src="//embed.gettyimages.com/embed/184802781?et=6Um3P3wKTixS-Jok6eibZg&sig=2SD1GcM9x4EhcsoRDPGR31bq6iwnbuvNPjL9EqbVRjc=" width="372" height="258" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="display:inline-block;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></div><p style="margin:0;"></p><div style="padding:0;margin:0 0 0 10px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/184802781" target="_blank" style="color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;">View image</a> | <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com" target="_blank" style="color:#a7a7a7;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal !important;border:none;display:inline-block;">gettyimages.com</a></div></div></center><center><i>Postmen will get their skates on</center></i><br><br>

