Gold post boxes for NI Paralympian heroes

The Royal Mail has painted post boxes gold in tribute to Paralympic and Olympic gold medal winners

Royal Mail is painting post boxes gold to honour the achievements of Paralympians Jason Smyth, Michael McKillop and Bethany Firth.

A post box will be painted gold in the village of Eglinton for double gold medal winner and world record Paralympic sprinter Jason Smyth.

A post box will be painted for double gold medal winner Michael McKillop in Glengormley and for gold medal swimmer Bethany Firth in Seaforde, in County Down.

The honour was a response to overwhelming public support for the tributes, said Royal Mail.

"Honorary gold post boxes for Jason, Michael and Bethany are an appropriate tribute for our local Paralympic heroes given their tremendous achievements and the very clear community support for this," said Barbara Roulston, Head of External Relations for Royal Mail in Northern Ireland.

SDLP Derry MLA Pat Ramsey welcomed the decision.

Pat Ramsey had been campaigning for a reverse of the refusal by Royal Mail to paint the post boxes gold.

He said: "I welcome this change of heart by Royal Mail. They listened to people, took their views on board and this response is very well received.

"The spectacular achievements in the recent Paralympics are an inspiration to us all. It is only right and proper that it should be respected and recognised in this way by Royal Mail. I have no doubt both of these gold post boxes will be inundated with congratulatory mail".