RESIDENTS in and around Whitchurch have said a fond farewell to a familiar face that has greeted them every morning for the past three decades.

Dave Stephens has been delivering milk on the same round in Whitchurch, Middlemoor and Caseytown for 31 years but has decided it is time to move on.

Middlemoor residents threw Dave a party to say farewell and wish him luck on his new venture.

Dave started in the milk trade as a teenager, helping out the local milkman. He went on to do a carpentry course but returned to work full-time as a milkman for Unigate, later taking on a franchise with Dairy Crest.

He said: 'I've done the same round for the whole 31 years, so got to know a lot of residents quite well. The residents in Middlemoor threw me a party with balloons, banners, tea, cakes and biscuits. I'm really going to miss it, but didn't really want to grow old doing it and an opportunity came up that I couldn't turn down.'

Dave is going on to work at a caravan park near Bridgerule, doing general maintenance.

'I have to say thank you to everyone in Whitchurch and especially the residents in Middlemoor and Rosie Jackson who organised the party. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years on my rounds.'