Royal Mail has been criticised after two women in Thorpe Marriott received Christmas cards weeks late.

Pat Dorrington, 70, said that in the last few days she had received half a dozen cards.

And another woman, aged 63, said she received a Christmas card on Tuesday after it had been posted from Halesworth in Suffolk on December 9.

In Great Yarmouth there were similar scenes as the Christmas backlog and bad weather caused postal delays.

Following the complaints, Royal Mail apologised yesterday.

As well as the late Christmas cards, Mrs Dorrington has still not received her weekly edition of the Radio Times, which is her favourite regular read and usually comes on Tuesday.

She said: 'It makes me think what else is piled up at the postal depot. I know it has been a hectic time for postmen but it does seem a long time for a Christmas card to reach me.'

The 63-year-old woman, who received a card nearly a month after it was posted by her brother-in-law, is still waiting to hear if a birthday card she posted to her nine-year-old grand daughter has arrived.

The woman posted the card at the post office at Roy's of Wroxham in Magdalen Street on New Year's Eve to Worlingham, near Beccles.

She said: 'I think the weather has not been as bad as other places and mail seemed to arrive elsewhere.

'It does not give me much confidence in Royal Mail.'

In Great Yarmouth, Bob and Maureen Price were stunned to see a Christmas card arrive on the mat of their Marine Crescent home on Wednesday from their friends Bertie and Maureen Collins who live in nearby Lawn Avenue, about a half a mile away.

The Collins' card was post marked December 17.

Mr Price said: 'It is not very good is it. In fact, it is a bit of a joke. We see each other at rotary meetings so we could have exchanged cards there instead.'

Yarmouth business Sanctuary Beads, which delivers beads ordered from the internet, said many orders sent out on December 27 had still to be delivered and two customers had to be reimbursed.

Owner Paul Platten said: 'There are still items that are in the postal system from December 27. A lot of items are only just being delivered now.

'About 20pc of my emails are from customers asking where their orders are. I think Royal Mail has deteriorated and it just seems to depend on which sorting office you have to see if you get your mail on time.'

A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'We are very sorry if any Christmas mail posted by the recommended posting dates did not arrive in time.

'We did deliver by Christmas the vast majority of the almost two billion letters, cards, packets and parcels posted in the run-up to Christmas.

'We always welcome hearing from any customer who has a concern or a query about the service and we would urge them to contact our customer services team on 08457 740740 or through our web site www.royalmail.com.'

Has your mail been delivered late? Contact the Evening News newsdesk on 01603 772443 or email newsdesk@archant.co.uk