A POSTMAN helped himself to money and vouchers from mail which he failed to deliver.

Post Office investigators found thousands of items at Andrew Hinton's home during inquiries after customer complaints about undelivered greetings cards.

Durham Crown Court was told it became apparent that all were on Hinton's round in the city.

Test packages were sent through the post to be delivered on his round, in March, and two failed to reach their destination.

He was interviewed and admitted taking the contents, five £1 Scottish bank notes and a £25 Marks and Spencer store voucher.

Hinton said he had taken two other items, which were still in his delivery bag.

Stephen Duffield, prosecuting, told the court: "Greetings cards were evidently chosen by this defendant with the prospect that there might be money or vouchers in them."

During a search of his home, 3,443 undelivered packages were found, of which 1,829 were intact.

Mr Duffield said of a further 1,065 smaller items, 549 had been opened, dated between August 1 and March 4, including 274 greetings cards and 25 music club packs.

David Callan, mitigating, said Hinton, whom he described as "immature" for his age, took money to finance his drinking and pay off debts.

Hinton, 20, of Rochester Road, Newton Hall, Durham, admitted deliberately failing to deliver post and four charges of theft. He asked for two further theft charges to be taken into consideration.

Sending him to a young offenders' institution for eight months, Judge George Moorhouse told him he had abused his position of trust.