Very Tiny Dog Terrorizes Postmen

Royal Mail halts deliveries to street over danger to postmen posed by a single dog... Peggy the pint-sized terrier

He's a harmless little thing, say owners

It's a vicious animal, says one neighbour

A tiny terrier has forced Royal Mail to suspend deliveries to a street due to fears for their postmen's safety.

Peggy has brought the mail service in Dorset Gardens, Northampton, to a standstill because of the threat posed to postmen.

The Yorkshire Terrier has developed a reputation as an aggressive dog among residents - despite barely reaching above their ankles.

But her owners insist she is harmless and only growls at the postmen on their rounds and has never attacked them. 

Terrifying terrier: Tiny Peggy looks out of the window of her home, where mail deliveries were suspended because postmen claim to have been attacked

What's the problem? Peggy with owner Patsy Joyce who doesn't understand why his post has been stopped

Owner Patrick Joyce, 25, said: 'The house is full of kids and she would never harm them. She's just a harmless little thing.'

However, alleged 'repeated attacks' on a postal worker were enough to prompt Royal Mail to stop delivering to residents since December 7 last year.

In a letter delivered to residents, delivery manager Jim Evelyn said: 'Because of the dog's behaviour, your postman believes your mail cannot be delivered safely and in the circumstances I have instructed him not to deliver mail to your address.'

Angry residents claim they now have to go on a 14-mile round journey to collect their mail or pay a 'small charge' to have it delivered to an alternative address.

One nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said: 'It is a vicious little thing and I have seen it going for the postman. I don't have a car and it's £30 to get the post delivered somewhere else.'

Another resident who has lived in the road for eight years, said: 'Not receiving post for a month is ridiculous. At first we were told it would just be two weeks and then we haven't been told anything.

'It is a 14-mile round trip to pick up your mail and some old people on the street aren't able to travel there at all. You don't know what important mail you are missing. Someone needs to do something.'

A postman at work in Manchester. In Northampton, alleged 'repeated attacks' on a postal worker were enough to prompt Royal Mail to stop delivering to residents in one road since December 7 last year

Part of the family: Peggy with the rest of the Joyces, from left-to-right, Patrick, Mary Theresa, Patsy, Margaret and Rosemary

Controversial pet: Terrier Peggy has caused a row between her owners and Royal Mail

Rosemary Joyce, 16, said: 'She's a harmless dog really - she only barks when the postmen comes in making too much noise delivering his letters.

'She wouldn't bite anyone, and if she did her teeth would probably fall out.

'She only makes noise because she's scared herself, but her bark is definitely worse than her bite.

'I don't see why the Royal Mail have reacted in the way they have, it seems over the top.'

But another 39-year-old neighbour, who did not want to give her name, disagreed and said: 'She looks cute but she's got that glint of evil in her eye - she terrifies people.

'We've heard that she gone for the post men a few times. I haven't seen it myself but that dog is crazy, so I wouldn't put it past her.'

The police did confirm there were no puncture wounds or blood injuries in relation to the attack.

Little old me? Tiny Peggy, pictured with members of the Joyce family, has been accused of terrorising postmen