Cilla Black: Sittingbourne's Whistling Postman Dale Howting

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Cilla Black: Sittingbourne's Whistling Postman Dale Howting pays tribute

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A legendary Swale charity fundraiser has paid tribute to “wonderful, inspiring” Cilla Black.

Former Royal Mail worker Dale “Whistling Postman” Howting appeared alongside the music and TV star who died yesterday, aged 72.

He was a guest on Surprise, Surprise in 1990, the ITV show which Cilla presented and regularly drew audiences of more than 20 million.

The programme’s premise was to reward deserving and unsuspecting members of the public with a visit from the scouse entertainer.

Dale earned his shock TV call when a Sittingbourne resident nominated him for his charity work and non-stop cheery whistle - which gave him his nickname - as he did his rounds.

The 81-year-old was 55 at the time and had recently been awarded a British Empire Medal for his worthy efforts.

He remembers the moment Cilla gave him the ‘surprise, surprise’ of his life 25 years ago.

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Video: Cilla surprises the Whistling Postman

“I was on my second delivery of the day, and I was given a recorded delivery to give to a Mr and Mrs Hutt in Northwood Drive, Sittingbourne.

“I knocked at the back door and Cilla answered.

“She was standing there with 24 film crew all in one room - I knew nothing about it.”

Dale said after the introduction, he accompanied Cilla and the TV entourage as they spent two days filming in Sittingbourne.

t resulted in a two-minute video in which she sings a song specially written for the happy mailman - Whistle With Dale.

They visited Sittingbourne Post Office in Central Avenue and the old market where Sainsbury’s now stands.

"She was good, kind and knew how to talk to people. I was very inspired by her..." - Dale Howting

The footage was shown to a studio audience and millions of TV viewers when the show itself was recorded two months later.

Dale’s static cycle riding in Sittingbourne town centre has helped raise more than £250,000 for various causes during his 37-year charity campaign.

Following her death, he said he’d placed a picture of Cilla on the front of his two-wheeled fundraiser as a mark of respect.

“She was really wonderful and brought out the best in me on TV,” he said.

“She had such a bubbly personality - she was good, kind and knew how to talk to people. I was very inspired by her.

“Sittingbourne Market was packed the day she arrived, but no one was doing much trade - everyone wanted to see Cilla.

“It’s such a shock to think she could die at 72.
“She was a wonderful lady and thanks to her and her show, 20 million more people got to know about Sittingbourne and Swale.”

Swale councillor Mike Whiting, a former press photographer who was sent to snap Cilla’s Surprise, Surprise, visit, remembers her as “charming”.

She also taught him a showbiz trick of the trade.

He said: “I can’t remember how it came about, but she showed me how to walk downstairs when on camera.