parcel

But a new deal requiring parcels from Thailand to be checked before they are shipped meant just three months later the figure had dropped to 1.5 tonnes.

Food parcels distributed to families containing two weeks' rations were also exhausted.

"We're holding all parcels in store until further notice, so there's no risk of it being sent back," it said.

With more than 100 parcels a day being cleared, the job is almost halfway done, with June a likely date for completion, officials say.

Major retailers have welcomed the government's review of a rule that allows small parcels to enter the UK duty-free, saying it gives overseas firms such as Shein and Temu an unfair advantage over British businesses.