A STRESSED postal employee took her work home with her - hoarding 5,500 undelivered letters in her car and garden shed.

Emma Giles 29, had been working for the Royal Mail for five months when a number of complaints were received from customers on her round about missing post.

She was approached by Royal Mail investigators and admitted to having stored the packages, which included Christmas cards and gifts, in her car and shed.

A search of her home also found a number of packages in her bedroom.

In total, 628 first-class packages were found; 1,562 second- class; 1,132 commercial letters and 2,229 door-to-door leaflets dating from December 14 last year to March 11 this year.

Giles, of Marx Terrace, Chopwell, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to three charges of delaying postal packages and was sentenced to a community punishment order for 160 hours at Tynedale magistrates in Hexham, Northumberland.

Giles was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £100. She delivered letters in Prudhoe, Northumberland, and resigned in March.

David Malone, mitigating, said she had not been able to cope with the workload.