Residents are being left without medication and other essential items due to postal delays, an MP has claimed.

Post in parts of Lewes is currently experiencing irregular post with some complaining of only getting mail as little as once a fortnight.

Lewes MP Maria Caulfield called the delays “shocking” and said she had arranged to meet with Royal Mail to address the issue.

She said: “I have heard shocking stories from constituents who have missed urgent items such as medication and paperwork which needed to be returned by a deadline which was then missed. I will keep working for residents to seek a resolution to this with Royal Mail.”

Ms Caulfield also thanked post minister Kevin Hollingrake for helping to arrange a meeting with Royal Mail and adding that the issue “needs to be urgently addressed”.

Royal Mail was approached for comment.

Residents in Portslade had previously faced similar issues with some waiting “weeks and months” for deliveries.

A spokesman previously said: “In the lead-up to Christmas, we are taking on 16,000 temporary workers, more vehicles and additional parcel sorting sites to handle double the normal volume of parcels we expect over the period.”