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Yodel driver leaves parcel stuck on window ledge in Folkestone
14:52, 04 February 2022
updated: 16:22, 04 February 2022
By Duncan Gorman
Footage reveals the moment a courier threw a parcel 12ft into the air - leaving it stuck on top of anti-bird spikes.
Customer Suzi Ashworth had to get a neighbour to use a broom in order to retrieve her package from outside an office building window in the Old High Street, Folkestone.
People work together to retrieve the parcel after the delivery driver threw it onto a ledge. Video: Deadline News
The 42-year-old received a notification from Yodel saying that her parcel had been left in a "safe place on her porch" - despite the fact she was home.
But the artist was left baffled because she doesn't have a porch, so went around the street asking nearby businesses.
They discovered the item had been thrown above an art studio and was stuck on the ledge.
CCTV captured the courier standing in the middle of the road and looking up at a window with the package in hand.
He then wanders closer before launching the item into the air towards the window.
The parcel lands directly onto the anti-bird spikes, impaling the item inside.
The courier then snaps a picture on his phone to show proof of the delivery before leaving.
A second clip later on that day shows Suzi trying to retrieve the item on a ladder but unable to reach it with a broom handle.
Two men then step in to hold the base of a step ladder whilst a third man finally manages to retrieve the parcel from the metal spikes.
Suzi complained to Yodel who said they had taken "drastic measures" with the courier involved.
Suzi, who owns Folkestone Harbour Yarn, said: “Maybe he deserved some measure, retraining, or a telling off.
“But I think the real problem with Yodel is not one individual employee but a culture of unrealistic delivery schedule demands on employees combined with the distrustful approach towards their staff in the form of GPS tracking exact employee movements.
“Plus their deliberately difficult customer contact system.
“We borrowed a ladder and had some difficulty getting it down as the office window it landed near was unable to open for some reason.
“It was completely wrecked as it was a polystyrene display item and was impaled by the pigeon spikes, dented by the throw and then tapped with a broom handle until we could free it.”
Suzi received a refund from eBay for the damaged item.
A Yodel spokeman said: "We take driver behaviour very seriously and this incident clearly does not meet our standards.
"We have taken appropriate action with the driver following an investigation and are in touch with the customer to apologise."
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