A Royal Mail employee based in High Wycombe is retiring on Friday after 50 years of tireless work.

Keith Dutton, 65, is preparing to bid an “emotional” farewell to his colleagues at the delivery office in Cressex Business Park as he prepares to embrace retired life.

The Carrington Road resident joined Royal Mail at the age of 16 in 1967 as a telegram boy and climbed up the ranks to delivery driver and postman.

He was later named the head postmaster for the High Wycombe branch – a role that was later scrapped in 1996 after 296 years and rebranded as Delivery Office Manager.

Mr Dutton said: “It is quite tough really. I remember getting to 60 and thinking five more years until I retire then before you know it, it is time to retire.

“You have to listen to your body I suppose, you can’t work forever. It is very hard but you have to go.

“There is not one day I have said 'I don’t want to be here.' I got my job when I was 16. I didn’t know what I was going to do so I went to the post office and thought 'that will do for the time being' and I have been there ever since.”

He went on to hail the “comradery” of his co-workers and customers over the past five decades, saying: “I have loved working with the people, the company and the comradery.

“I have met lots of people, no one famous really, although I met Martin O’Neill, the Wycombe Wanderers manager. Most of the MPs have come through.

“It has just been good fun wherever you go. It is a good crowd of people including the customers.”

The father of two and grandfather of four is planning to embrace a busy summer following his retirement - predicting a lot of school runs as well as looking forward to a trip to Canada with his partner, Hilary Jones.

He added: “Friday is my last day, it will be very emotional. It will be a case of saying goodbye and shutting the door behind me.

“I am sure there are some that will be pleased to see the back of me but there a lot of people that have been very gracious and said thank you for what I have done for them.”

Mr Dutton is compiling a list of Royal Mail employees in High Wycombe and has urged anyone who worked at the office between 1967 and 1980 to contact him on Keith.Dutton@btinternet.com to help him fill the gaps.