Police swooped on the home of the postal worker in the French town of Isle-d’abeau, near Lyon, following a tip-off from his disgruntled wife.

The discovery of the undelivered letters – stuffed in virtually every available space between bits of garden equipment – solved the long-standing mystery of the town’s erratic postal service, The Telegraph reports.

The apologetic postman told local radio that he was “overwhelmed by the work” and could not admit it to his bosses as he was trying to secure a permanent staff contract, which he eventually received.

“I have a wife and two children, and life isn’t easy,” he added.

He has now been sacked by La Poste and will face trial for breach of trust in January.