Dog attacks are leaving postal workers with permanent and disabling injuries, with figures showing more than 1,600 incidents in the last year.

A total of 1,673 attacks were recorded, an average of 32 every week across the UK, according to Royal Mail.

Sheffield had the most incidents reported during the year to March 31 2022, with 51 posties suffering dog attacks, closely followed by Belfast, with 50, and Tunbridge Wells with 44.

The BN (Brighton), NG (Nottingham), and SA (Swansea) postcode areas each saw 37 dog attacks on Royal Mail’s delivery staff, while the NE (Newcastle) and OX (Oxford) postcode areas saw 35 each.

The majority of dog attacks, 654 (39%), took place at the front door.

A further 498 (30%) took place in the garden, driveway or yard, while 134 (8%) took place in the street or road.

There were also 387 injuries suffered through letterboxes – accounting for 23% of attacks on postal workers.

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Julie Mundy, based in Nantwich, Cheshire, spent five days in hospital, was off work for three months, and suffered from post-traumatic stress after her ordeal in 2019.

A postwoman for 19 years, she said a customer tried to hold the dog back but it got away and jumped at her, causing her to stumble backwards and fall on the ground, breaking her hip.

She said: “By then the dog was on top of me but I couldn’t move – but I didn’t realise at that point I had broken my hip. The customer came and dragged the dog off me and another neighbour from across the road came over to help.

“My arm was bleeding where the dog had bitten me because I had been trying to cover my face. The neighbour from across the road cleaned me up and bandaged my arm and called an ambulance. I had to remain on the floor in the garden as I couldn’t walk.”

She said she suffered from post-traumatic stress after the attack.

Tim Murray, a Parcelforce Worldwide delivery driver from Plymouth, was left afraid of his own dog after being bitten on the hand when a customer’s pet escaped through a fence in 2020.

He said: “The owner called his name. But it was too late. The dog had already bitten my hand. I was in a world of pain and shock, attempting to defend myself with my steel-capped boots, trying to keep the dog at bay. But the damage was done.

“I was the owner of a playful puppy at the time. I began avoiding him in fear of him jumping up or nibbling me. He would try and cuddle into me, bring me his toys and not leave my side. It’s taken me over a year to enjoy the sight of another dog.

“I had an operation on the tendon in my hand and was in hospital for several days. I was told to avoid work for a week and only undertake light duties for six weeks.”

Letterbox attacks were the subject of a 2020 High Court ruling that stated dog owners can be prosecuted if their pets have free access to the letterbox and cause injury, whether the owner is at home or not.

The year 2020/2021 saw a 31% decline in attacks which is thought to have been a result of contact-free deliveries during the pandemic.

However, postal workers reverted back to pre-pandemic delivery methods after the data had been collected for 2021/2022.

The figures are published as Royal Mail launches Dog Awareness week, to help promote dog safety.

A special Dog Awareness Week postmark will be applied to all stamped items from 4 July to 8 July.

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