function postcode(element){				
		if ($('#'+element).val() == "Required" ) {	
					$("div#postcodeerror").show(); 
					$("div#postcodeerrordiv").hide(); 
					$("tr#postcodeerror2").hide();
					checkingforerrors = "yes"; 
				} else { 
				  // Permitted letters depend upon their position in the postcode.
				  var alpha1 = "[abcdefghijklmnoprstuwyz]";                       // Character 1
				  var alpha2 = "[abcdefghklmnopqrstuvwxy]";                       // Character 2
				  var alpha3 = "[abcdefghjkpmnrstuvwxy]";                         // Character 3
				  var alpha4 = "[abehmnprvwxy]";                                  // Character 4
				  var alpha5 = "[abdefghjlnpqrstuwxyz]";                          // Character 5
				  
				  // Array holds the regular expressions for the valid postcodes
				  var pcexp = new Array ();
				
				  // Expression for postcodes: AN NAA, ANN NAA, AAN NAA, and AANN NAA
				  pcexp.push (new RegExp ("^(" + alpha1 + "{1}" + alpha2 + "?[0-9]{1,2})(\\s*)([0-9]{1}" + alpha5 + "{2})$","i"));
				  
				  // Expression for postcodes: ANA NAA
				  pcexp.push (new RegExp ("^(" + alpha1 + "{1}[0-9]{1}" + alpha3 + "{1})(\\s*)([0-9]{1}" + alpha5 + "{2})$","i"));
				
				  // Expression for postcodes: AANA  NAA
				  pcexp.push (new RegExp ("^(" + alpha1 + "{1}" + alpha2 + "{1}" + "?[0-9]{1}" + alpha4 +"{1})(\\s*)([0-9]{1}" + alpha5 + "{2})$","i"));
				  
				  // Exception for the special postcode GIR 0AA
				  pcexp.push (/^(GIR)(\s*)(0AA)$/i);
				  
				  // Standard BFPO numbers
				  pcexp.push (/^(bfpo)(\s*)([0-9]{1,4})$/i);
				  
				  // c/o BFPO numbers
				  pcexp.push (/^(bfpo)(\s*)(c\/o\s*[0-9]{1,3})$/i);
				  
				  // Overseas Territories
				  pcexp.push (/^([A-Z]{4})(\s*)(1ZZ)$/i);
				
				  // Load up the string to check
				  var postCode = $('#'+element).val();
				
				  // Assume we're not going to find a valid postcode
				  var valid = false;
				  
				  // Check the string against the types of post codes
				  for ( var i=0; i<pcexp.length; i++) {
					if (pcexp[i].test(postCode)) {
					
					  // The post code is valid - split the post code into component parts
					  pcexp[i].exec(postCode);
					  
					  // Copy it back into the original string, converting it to uppercase and
					  // inserting a space between the inward and outward codes
					  postCode = RegExp.$1.toUpperCase() + " " + RegExp.$3.toUpperCase();
					  
					  // If it is a BFPO c/o type postcode, tidy up the "c/o" part
					  postCode = postCode.replace (/C\/O\s*/,"c/o ");
					  
					  // Load new postcode back into the form element
					  valid = true;
					  
					  // Remember that we have found that the code is valid and break from loop
					  break;
					}
				  }
				  
				  // Return with either the reformatted valid postcode or the original invalid 
				  // postcode
				if(valid){
					$('#'+element).attr("value",postCode);
					complete="yes";
				} else {
					complete="no";
				}
}
}