The quiet village of Lewdown, Devon, has been invaded by snails (Picture: SWNS)

Snails have been causing havoc in a small Devon village by munching on the locals post.

The mollusks have been eating away at the glue that holds envelopes together in Lewdown, Devon, and now Royal Mail and the villagers have had enough.

The problem has persisted for over a year and residents are angry because the issue has not been discussed by the local parish council.

But it’s not all doom and gloom because villagers can still post their mail at the post office – which has not yet been invaded by the pests.

The local postie Rick has been forced to stick a sign on the local postbox saying the snails are being ‘removed daily but they are very determined and return’.

The full note says: ‘Dear customer,

‘We wanted to inform you that snails seem to enjoy making a home in this postbox and eating the glue that holds the envelope in shape.’

A notice has been put up by the local postie Rick (Picture: SWNS)

The snails have munching on the glue in the envelopes (Picture: SWNS)

Villagers can still use the local post office which so far has not been invaded by snails (Picture: SWNS)

Luckily for the snails, Royal Mail have said it is against their business policy to ‘exterminate them with pellets or by other means’.

It continues to say: ‘Whilst you are very welcome to continue using this postbox, we wanted to mention that your letter may not arrive without some nibble marks around the edges.’

Another villager, who did not wish to be named, believes the snail problem has been caused by overhanging vegetation on a wall.

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This is not the first time snails have been causing problems after a town in Cornwall feared its mail would be cut off after its postboxes kept being sealed off because of snails.

Locals in Marazion, near Penzance, complained to Royal Mail after two boxes were closed within days of one another.

The postbox really did deliver snail mail after it was covered and a note appeared on it reading: ‘Temp closure snails eating mail.’

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The snails have been eating the glue that holds the envelopes together.