Royal Mail have stopped sending post to a couple after a postman was allegedly bitten by one of their cats.

Alastair and Lucy Humphreys, from Great Cornard, Suffolk, received a letter last week saying their post would only be delivered again once they fitted a cage or a bag around the inside of their letterbox, or got an exterior box installed.

The postal service said that the 'exceptional step' was being taken 'to safeguard the health and safety' of staff.

Until these adaptations are put in place, the couple are expected to pick up their post from their local delivery office.

The pair thought the letter was a joke at first, but delivery driver Mr Humphreys checked with the local Royal Mail office and found out it was genuine.

They have two large Maine Coon cats – three-year-old Peanut and 18-month-old Garfield – but they do not know which one was responsible for the alleged attack.

According to Mr Humphreys, the cats are 'slightly bigger than normal cats', but he has 'never known them to bite or scratch anyone'.

'I couldn't believe it when we got this letter out of the blue. I thought it was a wind up at first, so I phoned the number, and I was told it was real,' Mr Humphreys told The Telegraph. 

'I think the whole thing is mad. It seems like a knee-jerk reaction. It is not as if I have got some kind of massive XL Bully dog which could seriously injure someone.'

Royal Mail told the 33-year-old that the letter was a 'generic one which could be sent to any house', but did not provide proof of the alleged injury when asked by him.

Mr Humphreys believes that whatever happened was 'probably very minor' and has been made out to be 'really serious', when it could have just been solved by a simple conversation.

He was unable to get any further details about how the postman was allegedly bitten, but believes it must have happened when post was being pushed through his letterbox because his cats do not go outside unless under supervision.

When he asked the Royal Mail how they had managed to deliver the letter telling them about the ban, they told him it was done 'very carefully'.

Mr Humphreys said he has no time to pick up his post, including Christmas cards, until after the festive break due to working long hours in the run up to Christmas.

His wife is unable to pick up letters as she is recovering from an injury.

The letter from Royal Mail stated that a member of staff had been bitten and injured last Wednesday and was addressed to the occupant of the couple's three-bed terraced house.

It added: 'Due to the seriousness of the incident, I'm sorry to advise that deliveries to your address will be suspended.

'I hope you understand that this exceptional step has been take to safeguard the health and safety of my staff.'

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: 'Deliveries to an address in Maldon Court have been suspended due to the postman being bitten by a cat while delivering to the property.

'The team at Sudbury Delivery Office will work with the customer to try and resolve the issue. Deliveries will not resume until we are sure our colleague will be safe whilst carrying out their work.

'We have offered the customer an alternative arrangement for collection of their post should they be unable to get to the Delivery Office during opening hours.'