A mum was left fuming as her Christmas gift was destroyed after the postman left it in a garden waste bin - as a 'safe place' - on collection day.
Kiri Monk, 39, was horrified to realise that a craft advent calendar kit she ordered for the festive season had been put in a near-full brown bin that was later composted.
She found a card from the Royal Mail postman saying the delivery - worth £65 - was in a 'safe place' outside her house - written as 'parcel in brown bin'.
Kiri called the council to track down the bin but had no luck - meaning her calendar kit, which was limited edition, has now been lost forever.
Kiri said: "I couldn't believe it and was fuming.
"At about 11.30am a card from the Royal Mail postal worker was put through the door to say the parcel was in a safe place in the bin.
"It was then that I realised the bin had been emptied.
"I thought they wouldn't have done it at first, the bin was three-quarters full."
Kiri, from Canvey Island, Essex, added: "It is disappointing and I worry about the next one and whether I will get it or whether the same thing will happen.
"They should have thought about it and it was expensive, about £65, which is quite a lot for an advent calendar."
A Royal Mail spokesperson apologised to Kiri and said the company will contact her directly to discuss the matter.
They added: "Our postmen and women across the UK are consistently reminded of the appropriate action to take if a customer is unavailable to accept a delivery.
"The options available include delivery to a neighbour, a nominated neighbour or to an agreed safe place.
"If these options are not available then the item should be returned to the local delivery office for collection."
