BOLTON'S postal service was thrown into chaos today when an estimated 600 Royal Mail workers walked out in a row over working hours.

The spectre of the Christmas post being disrupted was raised as postmen, sorting staff and delivery drivers at three main depots went on strike.

Workers at the town centre King Street depot and Bolton West base at Middlebrook began their lightning strike shortly after 6am.

Leaders of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU), who represent most staff, claimed management had forced them to strike by failing to implement a national agreement cutting the working week from 41.5 to 40 hours. Staff at the Farnworth delivery office, where the new hours are already in operation, joined the walkout at around 6.15am. Branch secretary John Garrety said: "Nobody wants to be on the gate like this coming up to Christmas. It's our busiest time of the year. We wouldn't take this action unless there was a serious issue involved.

"It may be resolved today or it may not. It depends how quickly management move. It will take as long as it takes."

A Royal Mail spokesman described the industrial action as "unofficial and unlawful".

The company insists its Bolton management has followed national guidelines in the implementation of new working practices.

"We are doing all we can to minimise disruption but there are no deliveries at the moment," the spokesman added.

The action, if not quickly resolved, could extend into the Christmas period, according to Communication Workers Union representative Paul Blay.

He said: "The workers had enough this morning and decided to stage a walk-out.

"They are not a militant bunch and over the past couple of months they have bent over backwards to deliver mail despite all of the problems with the railways.

"We regret the problems this will cause our customers and we apologise for that. But at the end of the day we believe we deserve better working conditions."

Every one of the 230 workers at the Bolton Delivery Office in King Street, Bolton, walked out. They were joined by colleagues at the new Middlebrook office and those at the Stone Hill Road premises in Farnworth.

Workers from the Wigan depot arrived at around 7am but refused to break the picket.

One worker said: "We will stay out for as long as it takes. We are being paid for 40 hours but are expected to work 90 minutes on top of that. I don't know if that's illegal but I certainly think it's wrong."