GUERNSEY Post has restricted sales of local and UK stamps.

Books of 100 have been withdrawn to prevent islanders and businesses stockpiling before the price of posting goes up on 1 April.

Last week, each post office was allocated 80 books of local and UK stamps, but low supplies now mean they are being rationed. Supplies of loose stamps are unaffected.

Next month a book of 10 local stamps will rise from £3.40 to £3.60 and a book of UK stamps will rise from £4 to £4.30.

Bride-to-be Shona Davidson, 33, was disappointed that the cost of sending thank-you cards after her wedding on Saturday will be greater and that stamps will be more difficult to buy than when she sent thank-you cards after the birth of 10-week-old son Elliot Leavey.

‘Lately, I’ve been sending out wedding invitations and sending off thank-you cards.

‘It would frustrate me if I couldn’t get any stamps just because they want the extra money,’ she said.

Betty O’Connell, 55, said she understood why islanders bought books of stamps before the price change took effect.

‘I didn’t realise they had stopped selling the boxes of 100 though,’ she said.