Residents give 'fantastic' retiring postie £1,500

People from the Poets area of Bedford organised a farewell party for their postman, Graham McFiggins

A postman has been given £1,500 as a surprise retirement present by the residents whose letters he has delivered for the last 30 years.

Graham McFiggins began working for Royal Mail in 1984 and for most of his career served the Poets area of Bedford.

Resident Sonia Dee, who helped organise the collection, said "Graham has been a fantastic postman and is a genuine, kind person" who "deserves recognition".

Mr McFiggins, who retired on Tuesday - a day ahead of his 66th birthday - said over the years he got to "know everybody and everybody knows me".

Mr McFiggins saw helping residents change lightbulbs and opening jars as "just part of my job"

Mr McFiggins was 26 when he became a postman, because he "loves being outside".

"It was very different in them days - you didn't have the technological side of it," he said.

"The company have been brilliant for me. It allowed me to see my children - you'd start at four in the morning and I usually had time to take my kids to school."

He has delivered post in the Poets area for 29 Christmases and been "really honoured" to deliver four 100th birthday cards from Queen Elizabeth II.

• Listen: Residents emotional as postie retires

Mr McFiggins also saw helping residents as "just part of my job - I know my colleagues say the same thing".

"I put the bins in, take the bins out, I've put up lightbulbs. I've even put in door handles and I've opened jars, although as I get on I find them hard to do myself," he said.

Royal Mail believed he had walked about 124,800 miles (200,846km) - "the equivalent of having walked five times round the world" - delivering letters in Bedford.

'A friend to everyone'

He was presented with the surprise collection at a farewell event at the Verve Hotel, attended by his father, partner, daughters and grandchildren.

Resident Colleen Atkins said: "He's a friend to everyone, keeps an eye on the area and notices when things aren't quite right.

"He will be greatly missed, but it helps knowing he's now going to have a well-earned rest."

Mr McFiggins plans to spend his retirement gardening, fishing and watching his favourite football team, Tottenham Hotspur.

"I average between 10 and 11 miles a day, six days a week. My legs are telling me that. I will carry on walking, otherwise I'll seize up."