Small business owners have been warned that more than 25,000 postal workers will go on a series of strikes from Friday to Tuesday.

In the most widespread postal strike for two years services across the UK will be affected including London, the West Country, areas of Scotland and the Midlands.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has said that its members are striking over pay, working conditions and the threat of job losses.

Royal Mail has accused the CWU of being against necessary ‘modernisation' of the workforce and has said that 90% of staff would not be taking part in the strike action.