The Royal Mail has launched its first ever parcel postboxes in an attempt to help small businesses and eBayers.

Marketplace sellers on sites such as eBay and Etsy, will be able to post pre-paid parcels through specially adapted parcel postboxes, in the first major change of use of the postbox since its introduction 160 years ago.

The Royal Mail said a parcel postbox trial in the Midlands will allow customers to post parcels through securely designed parcel postboxes with wider apertures, in the same way that they currently post a letter.

The trial, which launched yesterday in Northampton and Leicester, will run until November and has seen 30 postboxes adapted to accept parcels.

Royal Mail says it will review customer feedback and decide whether or not to roll out the scheme across the UK.

The scheme is primarily aimed at small businesses who wanted to avoid staff wasting time queuing up at the Post Office, but will not accept any returns from online shoppers.