DESPITE the strike furore surrounding Royal Mail in recent weeks, postman Simon Ring says that working for the service for 40 years has been a pleasure.

Mr Ring has delivered post in Brailsford, Marston Montgomery and Parwich.

The 60-year-old, who will complete his last round in December, said talking to people and working in the outdoors still made the profession attractive.

He said: "Royal Mail is still running well. There is plenty of work. In some places they are short on staff but I would say it's about right. I've enjoyed working with everyone. Because the places I've worked aren't large communities, I've been with small teams who all worked together."

Mr Ring, of Hall Lane, Shirley, started work in Brailsford before moving to work in Marston Montgomery in 1986 and then Parwich in 1998.

Residents in Parwich said they would miss his deliveries and described him as an old-fashioned postman who liked to speak to his customers.

They have organised a farewell mince pies and drinks for him after the village's Christmas concert on Sunday, December 13.

Mr Ring said: "I talk the same language as they talk up there – a broad Derbyshire accent.

"Meeting people is one of the best things about the job. I was surprised to hear about the leaving party, it's very nice of them."

He said the postal service had seen massive changes since he went on his first round – with the service constantly modernising.

He said: "There's a lot more work to do but I would say modernisation has made it a lot more efficient.

"Years ago, for example, sorting machines were very basic and could sort hundreds of letters an hour. Now everything is computerised and they can sort thousands."

Mr Ring said his retirement plans include training gun dogs and breeding goshawks.

He said: "I do prefer the countryside to towns and that's one of the reasons I've been doing this job for so long. I'm hoping to see even more of it when I retire."

Mr Ring said his last task would be the Christmas deliveries before bowing out.

One of his customers, Janet Gosling, landlady of the Sycamore Inn, said: "He's friendly and he's part of the local community."

Martin Compton, 60, of Parwich, said: "Simon has been serving the village for the last 11 years and we wanted to do something to say thank you and good retirement.

"He's always incredibly helpful. If you're away he will arrange to deliver your letters to someone else's house."