A POSTMAN who has been a familiar face in Breamore, Woodgreen and Charford is retiring after 28 years of service to the village communities.

Jeremy Compton may have felt his last round was just another quiet and unassuming day but the villagers had other plans.

They spent ten weeks secretly planning events on Saturday to show their gratitude and thanks with surprise presentations on his route with the help of Jeremy's wife Sandy.

Packing the aisles of the community shop, more than 100 Woodgreen residents gathered to greet Jeremy as he opened the shop door.

There was also a short presentation by parish councillor Stewart Hall.

Residents contributed to the celebrations, including Andrea Wyburn who baked and decorated a special cake featuring a figure of Jeremy with a pile of mail and parcels.

Jeremy was also presented with a framed aerial photograph of his postal route.

Breamore villagers also wanted to show their appreciation for the well-known resident, gathering at the village hall for a tea party and presentation in his honour with speaker Sir Edward Hulse leading proceedings.

Jeremy says he was "absolutely gobsmacked" with the farewell parties. "I didn't have a clue," he said. "It was quite a surprise."

"I want to say thank you to everyone who laid them on and anybody that had anything to do with it. It was a lovely surprise and I did enjoy it," he added. "They were good at keeping it secret."

Jeremy was born and raised in Breamore and has worked as a postman for about 38 years - 28 of those years he spent doing rounds in Breamore, Woodgreen and Charford.

On what he will miss most about being a postman, he said: "Meeting people and working with the chaps at the office."

In his retirement Jeremy will be focusing his time on his smallholding where he keeps beef cattle. But says he still plans to do some part time work as a postman. He officialy retires on October 25.