Search: Post strike talks
Both sides in the bitter postal workers dispute have held talks on Thursday night in a renewed bid to head off further strikes.
Officials from the Communication Workers Union met Royal Mail managers even though a fresh wave of strikes was under way.
Thousands of workers had staged a 24-hour walkout and more stoppages were being held on Friday and Saturday in a bitter row over jobs, pay and modernisation.
Hopes of averting the action had collapsed on Wednesday despite three days of talks between the two sides held under the chairmanship of TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.
The union's postal executive held back from naming fresh strike dates as frantic efforts were made to get negotiations back on track.
Sources told the Press Association that fresh talks were held on Thursday night and would be resumed on Friday.
Neither side would confirm that the meeting had been held.
