Online presents may not arrive in time as snow cripples deliveries

Thousands of online shoppers may not receive their goods by Christmas after snow crippled some deliveries, it was disclosed today.

Royal Mail said it was doing "everything possible" to ensure the post arrived on time.

But it said the "severe weather and road conditions" meant reaching some addresses was not possible.

"More than 95% of Royal Mail's operation is working completely normally but, in a very small number of areas, some deliveries have been subject to disruption as the severe weather and road conditions mean that we cannot get to some addresses safely," said a Royal Mail spokeswoman.

"We are keeping the mail moving and doing everything possible to deliver all letters and parcels by the latest recommended posting dates for Christmas."