Royal Mail bosses have banned all internal staff auctions for goods found in undelivered mail in Belfast.

In future, such items - which can include designer Gucci shoes and Prada handbags - will be disposed of at public auction in England.

The Royal Mail would give no explanation for the shock pre-Christmas crackdown at its national returns centre in Tomb Street.

It would only say that the “appropriateness of holding internal auctions” had recently been reviewed.

One such auction - involving a signed Manchester United shirt and a black Fender guitar among other items - was cancelled at the last minute two weeks ago.

“If such auctions in Belfast are now deemed inappropriate, why were they viewed as appropriate in the past? Most staff believe this decision must have been taken at a very high level.”

The Tomb Street centre handles all returned parcels deemed undeliverable throughout the UK.

If the Royal Mail is unable to trace the sender, or no one comes forward to claim an item within six months, it has traditionally been put up for auction or would go to charity. A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “We are not investigating any wrongdoing within the national returns centre. Royal Mail has held two internal auctions in the past. It recently reviewed the appropriateness of holding internal auctions and decided that, in future, all items should be disposed of at public auction.”

Posted: 12|10|06 at 2:57 pm. Filed under: UK News.