When Paul Edwards ordered a parenting magazine in 2007, he was hoping that it would provide helpful advice and offers to help him navigate the stresses and challenges of bringing up children. However the magazine never arrived – until now.
The copy of Mother & Baby was delivered on Friday – 19 years after he ordered it – with his children now studying at university. It dropped through his letterbox in Chester with a message from Royal Mail apologising “for any inconvenience caused”.
A social media post Edwards made about the incident has now had about 1.5m views and nearly 60,000 likes. “Well done @RoyalMail – took a mere 19 years to deliver this magazine,” he wrote on X.
“Inconvenience? Well the kids have now left home …” The 52-year-old science fiction writer ordered the magazine while his daughter was 18 months old and his son was due to be born three months later.
They are now 20 and 18 respectively. Edwards said he found the late delivery “just bizarre” and told the BBC: “Like a lot of relatively new parents, you sign up for subscriptions for things to give you advice, offers and provide things to do with the children – then obviously everyone realises you have to work it out for yourself.