A HIGHLY-RESPECTED court officer earned the ultimate endorsement on his retirement yesterday.

Praise was heaped on popular usher Peter McCutcheon on his last day at Durham Crown Court after a dozen years on the staff following redundancy from the city's Philips TV tube factory.

Members of the bar, the resident judge and colleagues gathered in Court One for farewell speeches and the presentation of a retirement gift to Mr McCutcheon, who is "reluctantly" leaving after he reached his 65th birthday.

Among the messages was one from senior barrister Roger Moore, who likened Mr McCutcheon to the court canteen's celebrated bacon sandwiches in popularity.

He said: "Asked to rate him on a scale of one to ten, you would say he is up there just close to ten, on a par with the bacon sandwiches.

"He has become part of what makes Durham so popular as a court centre. He is part of the fabric of the place.

"Indeed, he can be described as the Des Lynam of the crown court staff."

Resident Judge Richard Lowden said Mr McCutcheon provided a valuable interface in daily dealings of the court, which he helped carry out with a quiet sense of humour.

It may not be the last the court sees of Mr McCutcheon, because he hopes to return part-time to perform some duties.

He will also continue in his civic role as parish clerk in his home village of High Pittington, near Durham.