As the first warning shot was fired in what could be a full-blown strike which would paralyse Clydesdale's postal service, the area's posties staged a protest outside the Home Street complex.

They claim that relationships between them and their management have now almost totally broken down.

Workers claim they have been set impossible delivery targets and their
traditional routes have been changed.

It is alleged that one particular problem lies with the introduction in Lanark's vast rural patch of the Royal Mail's new satellite charted Pegasus delivery system.

This, one Lanark postie told us, had proved "totally impractical" in actual service with, for example, mobile delivery routes that Pegasus calculated would take five hours in reality taking nine to complete.

He went on: "The other major problem was that, last November, they got rid of a lot of guys who were manually sorting the post, saying that they were bringing in new machinery that could do the job.

"The trouble was that they got rid of the guys but haven't put the machinery in even yet."

Another postie said that staff were now so afraid of the daily targets and tasks being set for them that the Lanark office was nicknamed 'The Snakepit.'

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said that the demonstration was in support of colleagues taking part in industrial action elsewhere in the country.

She added: "Modernisation and efficiency changes were made in the office nine months ago.

"There were a few technical issues at the begininng and we worked hard to minimise any disruption.''

For more information on this story, pick up a copy of this week's Lanark Gazette which is in the shops now.