Readers perhaps recall that I expressed satisfaction towards the end of last year over the prompt service supplied by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the preparation and delivery of a new document for me. This followed what some may judge to have been fairly typical ‘old man moments’ over my filling in of the application form. Eventually, I made use of the Post Office’s Check & Send service.

Well, I am not alone in singing the praises of this oft-maligned outfit. After my article appeared Dr Mark Davies of Brize Norton contacted me to say: “Like you I expected a significant delay in receiving my new passport recently. However, my experience was actually quicker than yours. I sent my renewal application by Check & Send from Carterton Post Office at 4pm on Monday December 8. On Wednesday I received a text saying the application had been received. I was then amazed to receive the new passport on Thursday at 9am. Less than three days. Like you I subsequently received the deactivated passport following — on Friday 12.

“Superb service, and the lesson is probably apply for passports in winter, not summer.”