Royal Mail fails to deliver Ellie Simmonds' stamps to home town post office

She's the golden girl of the Paralympics with two stamps printed in her honour – but residents in Ellie Simmonds' home town have been unable to get their hands on any.

Despite issuing the pair after the 17-year-old swimmer's record-breaking gold medal achievements, Royal Mail failed to stock any of the stamps at the post office in Aldridge where fans, friends and relatives have been trying to buy them.

Now bosses have insisted the special stamps are on their way to the branch in High Street after customers complained.

It comes as Ellie was today battling to win her fourth medal in the pool, competing in the 100m freestyle and her final race of the games.

The stamps were issued last week after Ellie stormed to victory in the 200m individual medley and the 400m freestyle. She also picked up a bronze in the 50m freestyle and has had a postbox painted gold in her honour in Aldridge.

Royal Mail bosses today said the stamps could be bought at Walsall Wood post office, almost two miles away, but that they would be rolled out to her home town soon.

Adrian Booth, a spokesman for Royal Mail, said: "There were 500 post offices that volunteered to be the offices that would be on the frontline for these stamps.

"Obviously, we did not know which athletes were going to win and where they would come from.

"We hope the stamps would be rolled out to Aldridge so people can get them there."

It comes after some shoppers pointed out they could not get the stamps in Aldridge, where Ellie grew up before moving to Swansea for training.

Aldridge resident Dave Rock said: "I tried to buy a stamp here but couldn't –then visited another post office in Hagley where they had loads of them."