Olympic shorts: Medal-winning performance... for postboxes

Sports stars who win medals at the Olympic Games have it made: money from sponsorship deals, a nation's adulation, corporate speaking gigs for daft fees and a guaranteed spot on their choice of Dancing on Ice or Strictly Come Dancing. But Royal Mail are adding to these accolades by painting red postboxes in their home towns in the colour of whatever medal they should win.

So if Jessica Ennis bags gold in the heptathlon, Sheffield residents can look forward to blingy metallic eyesores.

A trial run was unveiled yesterday in Westminster Abbey, marking the first ever departure from the traditional red hue since 1874.