Royal Mail bosses have admitted "an incident" took place and that the box was sealed off to safeguard the postal worker's safety.

Residents in Hindpool Close, on the Central Estate, Hartlepool, are now having to travel up to two miles to the nearest postboxes at the Headland and Brus Corner at West View.

Cath Torley, a Central Estate Management Organisation board member, who lives on the estate, said: "Royal Mail has said it's because of this air rifle incident.

"We have lost our post office, now we are losing this. It isn't fair on the elderly, there are 99 bungalows for the elderly close by and to move the postbox would be a real inconvenience."

John Cambridge, a local resident representative and a former councillor, said this was the latest blow for Central Estate residents as their post office was closed in 2004 by Post Office chiefs.

He added: "If they want to post letters people on the Central Estate now have to go to Old Hartlepool or the Brus.

"Their post office was closed in the last round of closures and this is another amenity taken off them. There is only one shop on the estate now and that is on West View Road.

"If they are going to keep the postbox there they should open it up, or move it to a more high-profile place where everyone can keep an eye on it."

A Royal Mail spokesman confirmed there had been an incident and said the postbox would be moved to another location on the estate, following approval from Hartlepool Borough Council.

He added: "The health and safety of our staff is always of paramount importance. For that reason we decided, with regret, to seal off a postbox in Hindpool Close, Hartlepool."

Cleveland Police said they had no record of the incident.