Red letter day for retiring postman

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A POSTMAN will hang up his bag for the last time this week after doing a first-class job for the last 30 years.
Hartlepool postie John McKenna is retiring tomorrow after three decades of delivering post to the east Durham villages of Castle Eden, Hesleden, Monk Hesleden and High Hesleden.

John, who turned 62 last Sunday, has delivered thousands of letters and packages over the years while working out of the Hartlepool Royal Mail sorting office, clocking up around 200,000 miles in his van.

He has become a well-loved face with local people, including children at Hesleden Primary School, who presented him with gifts including a bottle of whisky and chocolates during a special leaving presentation.

John, who is married to Jean, a 60-year-old retired nurse, and lives in West View Road, Hartlepool, said: "It doesn't feel like 30 years, but it does to my joints a bit."

The dad to Jonathan McKenna, 31, and Christopher McKenna, 29, added: "What I will miss is meeting people in the villages. It's more familiar and close-knit than a bigger town like Hartlepool.

"I used to always get a wave on a morning from all the children at the school as I drove in to deliver their mail.

"I will also miss all the lads at the sorting office. They have been a good set of mates."

John said he won't miss "low letterboxes" or the recent weather conditions.

"I was hoping the snow would hold off until Christmas Eve," he added.

And he said although he had had a few "near-misses" with barking dogs, he knew where they lived and most dogs were friendly.

John first started his rounds at the sorting office when it was in Whitby Street, Hartlepool.

He initially shared his east Durham patch with fellow posties John Bromby and Geoff Bales, but they have both retired in the last 20 years.

He spent two months training in Hartlepool before he got a driving-based job that covered the Hesleden area.

John said he used to work six-day weeks, but this had reduced to five, and the post has always been sorted by hand.

In 1990, the office moved to its present location in Clark Street.

John plans to spend his retirement relaxing and indulging in his woodwork hobby.