A father has been left devastated after Parcelforce lost his stillborn son's hospital bracelet, which was among personal effects that went missing in the post. Casper Campbell, 41, had moved from Kent to Sunderland following a separation and was expecting a large, sealed box of his belongings. Instead, he received a smaller, damaged package haphazardly taped up, containing only about a quarter of his items.
Missing Treasures
Among the missing items was the hospital bracelet belonging to his son Scott, who was stillborn on Christmas Day in 2001. Casper described the loss as devastating. "Some of these things are replaceable. My son's bracelet isn't. It was a long time ago now, but it's not something you ever get over. When I realised it had been lost, I was in floods of tears," he said.
His current partner had to comfort him for a long time to calm him down. "It sounds ridiculous, but it was like losing him all over again," he added.
Parcelforce's Response
The package arrived with a letter from Parcelforce apologising and explaining that the delivery had been "damaged in transit," leading to "some of the contents being disposed of." The letter stated they were unable to repackage or repair the items to deliver safely without causing potential damage to their driver, other customers' parcels, or the recipient.
Other missing items included an expensive leather jacket, a Tommy Hilfiger tin containing bracelets and a watch, a small container of loose change, family photos, a cup, an iPhone, and an electric razor.
Customer Service Struggles
Casper immediately called the number on the letter but could not get past the automated system. After several attempts, he reached a customer service officer who referred him to a colleague, then another, and was assured the issue had been escalated. However, 24 hours after delivery, he had not received confirmation of what happened or why.
Parcelforce later told him that a damage log entry at its Newcastle depot showed the box had "split" because "the external packaging was not suitable for the weight of its contents." Casper expressed anger: "My belongings were basically destroyed without me being informed, other than in a very generic letter. Nothing in that box apart from a cup, which was bubble wrapped and in a smaller box by itself, could have caused any damage."
Legal Action Considered
The father said the situation had worsened an already difficult time of year, as Scott's mother took her own life in late May 2002, less than six months after giving birth. "She died on my birthday, May 31, 2002. It's always such a tough time of year for me anyway, and this isn't helping one bit," he explained.
Casper criticised Parcelforce, which operates under a unified parcel network with Royal Mail: "They're supposed to take care of every single item that comes into their possession. That's the opposite of what happened here." He plans to contact Citizens' Advice and consider legal action, stating, "They have no right to throw my things away, even if they're damaged. That is not their decision to make."
Recovery and Apology
Later in the week, Parcelforce recovered and returned most of the lost items, including the hospital bracelet. The iPhone was not found, and the firm recommended contacting the police and lodging a compensation claim.
A Parcelforce spokesperson said: "We are very sorry for the distress caused in this case and understand how important these personal items are. The parcel was badly damaged in transit and our teams worked hard to recover and return the contents. The majority of the items have now been delivered and we are relieved that the hospital bracelet has also been recovered."
