STRIKE action this Friday will paralyse postal services across Dorset for the second time in two weeks.

The Communication Workers Union has already held one national strike on June 29 which hit services across Dorset.

Now a second strike is planned for July 13 followed by two half-day periods of action by post office counters staff on Monday from 2.30-6pm and next Thursday from 6am until noon.

CWU Dorset and Bournemouth branch secretary Derek Clash said the second strike would have even more severe effects on the county's beleaguered postal system.

He said: "There was a massive backlog of mail caused by the June 29 strike which has still not been fully cleared up at major mail centres, so this second strike will make the situation much worse."

Mr Clash explained that the latest walk-out will start at 7pm today and last for 24 hours.

He added: "Areas such as Weymouth and Dorchester strongly supported the previous strike and I expect them to do so again, so I don't think there will be many households and businesses getting their post on Friday."

Mr Clash said that the dispute was not just over a 2.5 per cent pay offer but also about the Royal Mail's business plan for £350 million worth of cuts to postal services.

An angry Mr Clash added: "The Royal Mail also announced that bonus payments of £40 million are being awarded to managers with about 10,000 pocketing from £1,500 to more than £10,000 each if targets are met to reduce services.

"If the Royal Mail can afford bumper bonuses for managers then they can't say they haven't the money to give postal workers a decent rise over the 2.5 per cent pay offer which is worth just £8 a week before tax."