Royal Mail has delivered a parcel to a college graduate in Northamptonshire, 27 years late.

Tracy Smeathers, now 46, grew up in the town of Wellingborough.

She was surprised when she received a phone call from her mother, saying her grade certificates had finally arrived.

The cylinder-shaped package, postmarked for November 4th 1982, came complete with it's original 12 and-a-half pence stamp.

Tracy's mother Gill Smeathers received the package at their family home – just six miles from Kettering Technical College - a total of 9,964 days late.

Former pupil Tracy, who now lives in Canada, is said to be amused by the incident.

Royal Mail say the package has not been stuck in their circulation.

They claim instead that the parcel was labelled by the sender and simply, not sent.