IT is with equal amounts of sadness, regret, happiness and delight that I have to inform readers that Yelverton Cars under the ownership of Eric and Gill Pinch will be ceasing to trade as private hire wheelchair transport with the closing date of Saturday March 31.

One would immediately assume that we have gone to the wall with financial difficulties but I can assure everyone that despite the ever increasing costs of running a taxi business everything is fine. It just became the correct thing to do at my time of life and the date in question. The end of the financial year, various licenses' for myself and the vehicle all fall on the above date.

I started working for the previous owner, Doug Jenner, some 15 to 20 years ago whilst I was working at HMP Dartmoor.

After taking early retirement at the end of 2002 circumstances saw me take over a school transport contract and then in 2005 take on the ownership of the firm from Doug.

It has been a remarkable time driving with some amusing and difficult times in the last decade.

I wish to place on record my thanks and gratitude to Doug and Janet Jenner, the various escorts, Devon County Council School Transport, West Devon Borough Council's Licensing Department and all my customers.

Eric Pinch