Postmen and women will now be able to pick up parcels from customers' doorsteps as part of a major new service launch.

Royal Mail said the Parcel Collect service is one of the biggest changes to the daily delivery since the launch of the postbox in 1852.

It said: "As well as offering even higher levels of convenience, the move means that online sellers and online shoppers will no longer need to leave the comfort of their home if they want to mail or return a pre-paid item by post."

Under the ground-breaking initiative, postmen and postwomen will collect a parcel from the customer’s door or nominated safe place for 72p per parcel, in addition to postage costs.

Parcel Collect is also available for pre-paid return items at a cost of 60p per item, with Royal Mail about to collect up to five parcels per address.

The service will be available six days a week, Monday to Saturday, and can be booked up to five days in advance and up to midnight the day before.

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In order to use the service, customers simply need to ensure they have already paid the correct postage to send their item.

If an item does not have pre-paid postage, such as a return, customers are able to pay for their postage online by visiting www.royalmail.com/bookcollection or via the Royal Mail app and opt for ‘Parcel Collect’.

They will then be able to work out the correct cost of postage for their item and print out a pre-paid label which is fixed to the package.

When the item gets collected, the customer will receive an email notification that acts as proof of postage.

Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “Royal Mail Parcel Collect is a fantastic step forward for all of our customers. It makes it easier to use our services than ever before.

"Whether you’re up against time and working from home, making a return, selling online or sending a gift to make someone’s day, Royal Mail Parcel Collect is here to help. "The launch of Parcel Collect is part of our commitment to continuously make our services better and more convenient.”

The maximum size and dimensions for Parcel Collect is 61cm x 46cm x 46cm, and the maximum weight is 20kg.

Key steps in the evolution of parcel delivery

1852: Launch of the postbox

1861: First modern mail order company

1883: Launch of parcel post

1911: The world’s first scheduled service for transporting mail by air

1919: The first public overseas airmail service began

1957: The first automatic sorting and cancelling of mail took place

1959: The first postcodes were introduced on a trial basis in Norwich

1997: Integrated Mail Processors were introduced to improve the complete processing system. This meant one machine could process the mail from arrival in the mail centre to the dispatch by road, rail or air

2018: Trial of parcel postboxes

2019: Launch of parcel postboxes

2020: Launch of Parcel Collect