A POPULAR postman has been given a cheque for £877 from residents on his old round.

Trevor Bunker, 62, retired last month from his route in Hurworth, which he had for the past ten years.

He was presented with the cheque at Hurworth Methodist Church, on Thursday.

Ann Johnson, one of the Hurworth residents who helped organise the collection, said: "He was absolutely overcome. One of the people there said it was the first time they had ever seen him speechless.

"Just as we were going in, someone stopped me and said, 'I was on his round and missed the collection, here's £10'. That shows how highly he was thought of.

"He looked after the older people, did little jobs for them, and visited them in hospital if they were ill.

"He was just a very pleasant man."

Mr Bunker joined Royal Mail in 1969, working in the sorting office before delivering letters.

He had a spell taking mail to Newcastle Airport but returned to Hurworth ten years ago.

Mr Bunker lives in Geneva Road with his wife, Pauline. They have one daughter, Anne, and two grandchildren.

He is also a member of the congregation at St James the Great Church, Albert Hill.