ROYAL Mail staff discovered thousands of unopened letters when they searched a 24-year-old postwoman's home, a court heard yesterday.

Some of the mail recovered from Rachel Stute's house in Lowson Street, Darlington, was sent four years ago, magistrates at Bishop Auckland, County Durham, were told.

The hoard was in 45 bags found in the living room, kitchen, back garden and various cupboards, said Philip Robson, prosecuting.

Nearly 6,000 were untouched, but there were 114 items which had been opened, including greetings cards and CD packets.

There were also nearly 8,000 door-to-door leaflets which Royal Mail staff are paid extra to deliver.

Stute, who no longer works for the Royal Mail, pleaded guilty to stealing 114 postal packets of an unknown value and intentionally delaying 5,934 postal packets between August 16, 2000, and August 19, this year.

Mr Robson said Stute's house was searched after customers began complaining in the first two weeks of August this year.

He said: "When interviewed, she said she had been under stress at work. She said she had always intended to deliver the mail."

James Luke, defending, said his client had not acted out of greed, but because of an illness she was suffering from at the time.

He said: "It represents a major breach of trust. She has admitted serious offences."

Magistrates adjourned the case until January 5 so that pre-sentence reports can be compiled.

The Royal Mail is claiming £1,152 for the costs of the investigation, £766 for delivering the letters found at Stute's home and repayment of the £1,402 she received for the leaflet delivery.

A spokeswoman said she could not comment on an individual court case, but added: "The vast majority of our postmen and women are honest and hardworking. We have recently introduced more stringent vetting procedures for recruitment of postal staff, but incidents of theft by our own staff are extremely rare."