Could solar-powered postbox deliver bright future for Royal Mail?

NOTTINGHAM will be among the first places in the country to get the Royal Mail's new “postboxes of the future”.

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Red postboxes have undergone the biggest redesign in their 175-year history, including solar panels and scanners.

They will allow customers to send and return parcels - up to the size of a shoebox - for the first time.

Royal Mail is rolling out 3,500 solar-powered postboxes as it seeks to compete with private courier delivery services and parcel drop-off lockers.

Customers can scan a barcode on the Royal Mail app to open a drop-down drawer, designed for parcels too big to fit through the letter slot.

The redesigned boxes have a separate slot for letters, as well as a solar panel to power the scanner and drawer.