ROYAL Mail has suspended postal deliveries to a York travellers' site, following attacks on postmen by roaming dogs.

Council bosses have also issued special notices to ten residents on the site at Osbaldwick, warning they must bring their animals under control or face fines of up to £100.

Royal Mail said it had experienced continued issues with loose dogs roaming the site, resulting in various incidents and attacks on its postmen.

"Deliveries to the site are temporarily suspended until we receive reassurances that the dogs will be tethered and it is safe for our people to deliver to the site," said a spokeswoman.

“The incidents have been raised with City of YorkCouncil and the residents of the site to ask for their help in resolving this issue.

"Unfortunately, despite reassurances that the dogs would be tethered, a recent risk assessment found that there had been no improvement to the site and therefore we are unable to resume deliveries until it is safe for our people to do so."

She said a temporary solution had been agreed with the council, whereby mail deliveries were made to the site office, and added: “Suspension of delivery is always a last resort and we sincerely apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by this temporary suspension."

Local councillor Mark Warters said: "If the Royal Mail won't go on/near the site because of the obvious danger to their operatives, what is the council going to do to allow the use of the adjacent public bridleway by members of the public who have not been able to access in safety for many years, due to out of control dogs?"

He said the local authority had a responsibility to ensure the unhindered passage of the public on rights of way, and added that police had also reported a case of criminal damage to the site office.

The council's head of community safety, Jane Mowat, said that in line with usual procedure and following complaints about dog fouling and straying, neighbourhood enforcement officers had issued ten individual 'Community Protection Notice' warnings, and there had been additional patrols and additional contact with officers involved in the site management.

"If the warning is not complied with, and depending on the nature and location of the offences, fines can be issued of between £50 and £100 per offence," she said. "We continue to advise animal owners on safe and legal tethering."