ROYAL Mail staff have been thanked for their "magnificent" effort in delivering Bury's ballot papers for Thursday's elections.

Mr Mark Sanders, Bury Council's chief executive and local returning officer, said he has not received any complaints from people whose ballot packs are missing or were incorrect.

Mr Sanders said the odds had sometimes seemed "insurmountable" in getting out more than 100,000 forms by the Government's deadline, and organisers had had to call on all their resources to meet this target.

In a letter to Mr Andy McAleavey, manager at Bury Delivery Office, he said: "The patience and diligence of your staff as deadline after deadline passed is a credit to your organisation, and your ultimate achievement in getting the job done has ensured that Bury's elections will go ahead on schedule."

AROUND a quarter of ballot papers had been returned by Monday morning, according to officers.

Residents, as an alternative to posting back their forms, can drop them off at Bury Town Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday between 9am and 5pm, and on Thursday from 7am to 10pm.