HUNDREDS of jobs are up for grabs in Hampshire as Royal Mail prepares for a bumper Christmas rush of post and parcels.

In a massive recruitment drive, they are hiring around 340 people to help at Southampton’s sorting office following an increasing amount of online festive shopping.

The jobs boost will see around 20,000 seasonal roles available across the UK, with positions available from late October until early January 2018.

Royal Mail’s chief operations officer, Sue Whalley, said: “Christmas continues to be our busiest time of year.

“We plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service for UK consumers and businesses at Christmas.

“ We are continuing to make a substantial commitment in additional resources including the recruitment of thousands of temporary workers to handle the festive mailbag and the growing market of online Christmas shopping.”

The peak of the temporary work will be in the busiest month of December.

Parcelforce Worldwide is also looking for drivers and indoor workers as the whole organisation gears up to deliver at Christmas.

The seasonal helpers will help to sort Christmas cards and parcels and online shopping orders before they are taken to around 1,400 delivery offices for postmen and women to take out on their rounds.

The work is popular with students and people working part-time.