Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth say goodbye to popular postie

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Bishop Middleham and Mainsforth say goodbye to popular postie George

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A VILLAGE postman who has served a community for almost 40 years will deliver his last letter this week.

George Anderson-Reid is a familiar face in Bishop Middleham and Mainsforth.

For decades, the friendly postie has delivered letters, parcels and smiles to residents, many of whom he counts as firm friends.

Like many postmen, he goes the extra mile for those he served and always looks out for older people, especially those living alone.

He is also popular with youngsters and endured many a snowball pelting with good humour.

However, he cannot help but chuckle on the one time he got his revenge.

“I would be here for years if I told you all the funny stories but there is one that stands out,” said Mr Anderson-Reid, who lives in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland.

“In winter, I was often a target for snowballs and in summer the water pistols came out.

“I remember one day about five years ago it was red hot and the kids were off school. There was a group of them and they all had water pistols and they were pounding me for about an hour.

“My shirt was soaked through and I was carrying the mail at the time.

“I kept telling them to leave off but they went home and came back with bigger water pistols.

“I rushed to Fiona at the butchers and said ‘I need your help to sort them out’. We challenged them to meet us on the village green at 2pm for a showdown.

“We filled everything we could get our hands on with water and at 2pm we charged towards them with our buckets. They soon scarpered.”

Born in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, Mr Anderson-Reid moved to County Durham when he was 15 and was a professional jockey for nine years before joining Royal Mail in April 1977.

Mr Anderson-Reid, 61, said: “I like the job as I like being outside. I’m my own boss when I’m outside. I’ve made some good friends over the years too.

“I am sad to be retiring but I am looking to going on more holidays in my classic car.”

Fiona Wright, 39, whose family ran the village butcher and bakers until it closed, said: “Everyone is sad George is going. We will miss him a lot.

“He’s been our postman since I was two-years-old. I’ve never known anyone else.

“We are organising a surprise for him. He knows something is happening but he doesn’t know what.”