The owners of Boxby couriers services where out having leisurely walk round a large dock pond at Culzean castle estate with their family.

Their little girl Jessica had taking her little dolly that she had just got from Santa a walk with her to see the ducks, unknown to rest of the family whilst feeding the ducks with some bread Jessica forgot to pick up her dolly in the excitement and left it sitting on the wall. About five minutes later three little boys that where playing with the broken ice must of found the doll and boys being boys through the doll into the pond.

When the family where nearly all the way round the pond mum and dad could see a pink item with dark hair lying on the ice, mum ask Jessica if she had taking her doll to see the ducks and Jessica yes but couldn't remember where she had put it, then one of her sisters said it that your new dolly lying on the ice and Jessica started to cry yes yes it's my favorite dolly, she was terribly upset that her dolly was in the middle of an icy pond.

After looking at the ice on the pond they decided not to try walking on the ice but instead went of to find a very long stick, but the only thing that they found that was long enough was a branch from a tree that was very heavy to carry.

So after pulling this branch for about 400 yards dad got the front and mum got the end, they slowly pushed the branch on to the ice in the direction of the dolly, once the branch was touching the doll mum lifted her end to push the point the branch onto the dolls dress, they carefully pulled the dolly back to the edge of the pond so that dad could reach out for the dolly, Jessica got very excited when dad and mum returned her new favorite dolly. Jessica gave mum and dad a big cuddle and said that they where heroes for saving her dolly's life.

Increase in Online Spending a boost for the economy

Yesterday, known in the trade as "Cyber-Monday" saw the biggest single amount of money spent online.  Between 1pm and 2pm alone, over £33million was spent as office workers did their Christmas shopping whilst sitting eating their lunches, and £1.4m spent a precisely 1.43pm.  Estimations are that overall, the amount of money spent online yesterday is likely to to £350million.

All in all, that's one heck of a lot of Christmas presents that the delivery networks are going to have to send out over the next few days, so the couriers and parcel carriers better get their skates on.

French Lorry drivers out to spoil Christmas deliveries.

Reported in the Connexion, French Lorry drivers are planning a major strike in the lead up to Christmas.  Demanding 10 Euro an hour wages, and a 13th month of pay each year and full health cover, the lorry drivers are planning on blockading access to supermarkets to prevent food getting onto the shelves.

The union is also considering blockading fuel depots.  And no doubt, as always, the ferry ports will also be targeted.

Such action would have major implications on all in France, and also many in the UK.  Considering the number of UK lorry drivers, couriers, and other road transport users who are always caught up as unwilling victims of the french lorry drivers random actions.  The last thing the UK needs is HGV drivers, and couriers stuck in French blockades for Christmas.

With many UK families now having relatives living in France, we recommend that any Christmas Presents, and especially food parcels are sent out sooner rather than later, though Boxby, parcelsplease offers 30kg parcels delivered to France for only £11.50 including the VAT.  So get your parcels off early, and don't let the French Lorry Drivers be the grinch this Christmas.

Post Office Closures will impact this Christmas

Many people only use he post office brances a few times a year, but everyone uses them at Christmas.  This means that for some people it will be the first time that they realise the extent and impact of the Post Office branch closures at the begining of the year.  Overall, there are 2500 less post office branches in the UK this Christmas than there were last Christmas, and that can only lead to one thing - bigger queues.

The branches closed were mainly small sup post offices, and this means that many people, a lot of them elderly, now face a bus ride into the nearest main town centre, carrying all of their Christmas Cards and Parcels, to visit the nearest main branch office.  Sandra Patterson, director of Boxby, used to be a Sub Post Office master, and whose branch was closed as part of the rationalisation program in February.  "My branch was very typical, it wasn't the busiest branch and I can see why the Post Office decided to close it, however as our village was 8 miles away from the nearest main post office branch, it was an important facility fo the people in the village.  Many of whom were pensioners, and the trip on the infrequent bus to the main branch was really a whole day exercise."

For people that want to avoid the post office queues then the alternative is to use couriers such as Boxby who can arrange collection from you.  At boxby, we work with ParcelsPlease for a parcel delivery service, which in addition to the fact that we collect from you, is also over £5 cheaper than the Royal Mail's parcel services.

Check out Parcels Please christmas delivery website here; www.christmas-parcel-delivery.co.uk