A national postal strike looks unavoidable after talks between Royal Mail managers and union leaders broke down last night.

The failure of the negotiations left both sides blaming the other for the failure to head off the strike threat.

Adam Crozier, chief executive of the Royal Mail, threw down the gauntlet when he warned that strikes would amount to suicide for many postal workers.

"We have had no sense whatsoever in last night's talks that the CWU was prepared to be realistic or would countenance suspending its ballot for strike action to allow grown-up discussions to take place," he added.

Chris Proctor, head of communications at the CWU, said: "Royal Mail has made no attempt to resolve this dispute. If Adam Crozier maintains the same attitude he struck today then the prospect of a national strike is very strong indeed."