A YORK landlord is helping to launch the Royal Mail's latest stamp collection - based on the great tradition of pub signs.

Mike Dobson, who runs the historic Black Swan Pub, in Peasholme Green, has his pub's name featured on the mail giant's new collection, which will go on sale next Tuesday. The stamps feature five images, which have been used on pub signs spanning the 20th century.

The Station, which features on the first class stamp, was an unknown name until the coming of the railways in the 19th century.

The Black Swan, nicknamed the "mucky duck", is featured on the E Class stamp. It first appeared on a pub sign in Lincoln in 1660.

The Cross Keys features on the 42p stamp, The Mayflower on the 47p stamp, and The Barley Sheaf can be seen on the 68p stamp.

Gavin Macrae, Royal Mail's director of stamps and collectibles, said: "Britain boasts around 50,000 pubs with 17,000 different names, so it was always going to be a challenge to select five signs from such a wealth of history and design.

"We wanted to use images that were not only beautiful to look at, but that also possessed an interesting history."

Updated: 08:53 Tuesday, August 05, 2003