The Royal Mail has banned mail deliveries to a cul-de-sac in Surrey for six months after a postwoman was bitten by a ‘lovely’ dog.
Tom Groves’ German Shepherd Suri jumped on a female worker and bit her arm after the large dog had somehow escaped the 30-year-old’s home.
Since then, residents of Medlar Close, Guildford, haven’t had any mail deliveries to their homes in half a year, being forced to go to a sorting office two miles away.
Tom Groves’ German Shepherd bit a Royal Mail postwoman six months ago. Since the incident, residents of the cul-de-sac on Medlar Close, Guildford, Surrey, haven’t received mail
The 22 homes of the cul-de-sac (pictured) have been told they will not get their mail delivered to them until Royal Mail is certain the animal isn’t a danger to its workers
The 22 homes of the cul-de-sac have been told they will not get their mail delivered to them until Royal Mail is certain the animal isn’t a danger to its workers.
Groves, 30, told the Sun that the attack was an ‘one-off incident’, and his neighbours have also voiced their support and fondness of the canine.
Neighbour Carol Calland, 68, told the paper: ‘He’s a lovely dog.
‘It was one little accident.
‘He jumped up because that’s what dogs do.’
A spokesperson for Surrey Police said there was a ‘community resolution’ to discipline Groves for the incident.
The postwoman was treated in hospital for the bite.
Groves, 30, said the attack was an ‘one-off incident’, and his neighbours have also voiced their support and fondness of the canine
A Royal Mail spokesperson said to Mail Online: ‘We made contact with the dog owner yesterday and will carry out a further risk assessment at Medlar Close as soon as we possibly can.
‘We are very sorry for the inconvenience to other customers but we need to be reassured that the measures put in place protect the safety and welfare of our staff.
‘Royal Mail only suspends deliveries as a last resort when the safety of our staff is at risk. Last year there were 2,470 dog attacks on postmen and women in the UK.’