They are famed for battling extreme weather and vicious dogs in the pursuit of providing a first class postal service.

But Royal Mail says its postman have been forced to suspend deliveries during "adverse wet weather conditions" after one slipped on algae and moss on the pavement and broke his shoulder.

A number of businesses have now been told they will not have mail delivered on rainy days after a postman slipped and injured himself on a wet pavement.

Instead, customers in South Parade, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, have been told to collect their post from the town's main sorting office during bad weather.

royal mail rain

Royal Mail have suspended deliveries during rain after a staff member broke their shoulder

Royal Mail spokeswoman Morag Turnbull said the safety of staff was paramount.

She said: "Last Friday, a member of staff slipped on algae and moss on the pavement at South Parade due to adverse wet weather and consequently broke his shoulder.

"Following a risk assessment of the area, we have notified Doncaster City Council of the danger posed by the poor condition of the pavement.

"We have explained to customers in South Parade that we must, only during adverse wet weather conditions, suspend deliveries to their address as a precautionary measure until the pavement surfaces are improved by Doncaster City Council.

"Customers will be able to collect their mail from Doncaster Delivery Office.

"We know this is inconvenient and we apologise to customers, but the safety and welfare of our staff is paramount and we only suspend deliveries if the safety of our postmen and women is at risk.

"Royal Mail delivers to almost 29 million addresses across the UK and so it is always a last resort if we decide not to deliver to a specific address or addresses."

Accountant Amanda Henwood, who works on the South Parade, called the move "bizarre"." She told the Yorkshire Post: “The thing that really beggars belief is the apparent timetable of events. It took just 24 hours to do a risk assessment and decide we won’t get our post when it rains.

“Usually, it takes Royal Mail a month to let us know they are holding an item of mail on which postage has been underpaid, usually by something like 9p.

UK Weather: Rain, Flooding, Doom and Gloom. The British Summer In Pictures
Loading Slideshow...

  • A man shelters from the wind and the rain on June 11, 2012 in Southsea, England. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for England and Wales for heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued flooding alerts in more than 30 areas in south-east England, Wales and the Midlands. The UK's unseasonable weather is said to be due to the jet stream bringing low pressure further south than normal and forecasters say the wet and windy weather could continue for the next few weeks. (Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

  • Rain falls onto a icecream vendor's booth on June 11, 2012 in Southsea, England. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for England and Wales for heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued flooding alerts in more than 30 areas in south-east England, Wales and the Midlands. The UK's unseasonable weather is said to be due to the jet stream bringing low pressure further south than normal and forecasters say the wet and windy weather could continue for the next few weeks. (Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

  • A jogger braves the wind and the rain on June 11, 2012 in Southsea, England. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for England and Wales for heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued flooding alerts in more than 30 areas in south-east England, Wales and the Midlands. The UK's unseasonable weather is said to be due to the jet stream bringing low pressure further south than normal and forecasters say the wet and windy weather could continue for the next few weeks. (Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

  • Visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site Stonehenge brave the wind and the rain on June 11, 2012 near Amesbury, England. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for England and Wales for heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued flooding alerts in more than 30 areas in south-east England, Wales and the Midlands. The UK's unseasonable weather is said to be due to the jet stream bringing low pressure further south than normal and forecasters say the wet and windy weather could continue for the next few weeks. (Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

  • Visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage site Stonehenge brave the wind and the rain on June 11, 2012 near Amesbury, England. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for England and Wales for heavy rain and the Environment Agency has issued flooding alerts in more than 30 areas in south-east England, Wales and the Midlands. The UK's unseasonable weather is said to be due to the jet stream bringing low pressure further south than normal and forecasters say the wet and windy weather could continue for the next few weeks. (Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

  • A woman wades through water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham near Bassingstoke, Hampshire.

  • Standing water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham near Bassingstoke, Hampshire.

  • Cars splash through remaining flood water on the A63 outside Leeds after flash flooding in the area last night.

  • Workers survey the water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham near Bassingstoke, Hampshire.

  • Standing water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham near Bassingstoke, Hampshire.

  • Cars splash through remaining flood water on the A63 outside Leeds after flash flooding in the area last night.

  • A general view of water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham near Bassingstoke, Hampshire.

  • Paul Burrow mops the floor in his water damaged kitchen at his home in Swillington, Leeds, after floods tore through the area over the weekend.

  • Gill West mops up after her home was flooded, in Tal-y-bont, Mid Wales, after floods tore through the area over the weekend.

  • A pedestrian jumps over a puddle left by persistent rain in central London on June 11, 2012. Persistent rainfall over much of southern England and the midlands has lead to the risk of flooding with the Met office issuing a severe weather warning. (Photo credit: CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages)

  • Taxis drive past a puddle left by persistent rain in central London on June 11, 2012. (Photo credit: CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages)

  • A picture shows the British Houses of Parliament seen through heavy fog and low cloud in London on June 11, 2012. Heavy rain fell over much of the south and central England on June 11, disrupting sporting events like the third Test at Edgbasten and the Aegon Championships and shrouding the captial in a pall of mist and fog. (Photo credit: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/GettyImages)

  • Isle of Wight Festival

  • Isle of Wight Festival