A postman who started his career being known as the "midget messenger" hangs up his mail sack today after half a century.

Brian Gibson, of Garburn Grove, Rawcliffe, turns 65 next week .

He became well-known around York in the early 1950s as the smallest postman at York Post Office. He was 4ft 8in tall.

Today he is retiring from Royal Mail in Leeman Road, a foot taller at 5ft 8ins.

Brian began work as a 15-year-old telegram boy in 1951 and an Evening Press article, complete with photo, told how he was the smallest telegram biker at the York office.

His bosses considered putting blocks on his bike pedals until a cycle small enough was finally found.

When he turned 16 he was upgraded to a motorcycle, but again faced the problem of his size.

This time bosses told Brian to put on some weight as his lightness of frame on a heavy bike endangered his safety, specifically when parking as there were no stands on bikes back then.

He managed to put the weight on and said he hasn't managed to lose it since!

From there he moved to sorting and driving before reaching his current position in the key room where he has been for a number of years. His job is to hand out keys to all the drivers within the YO postcode and deal with their complaints and queries.

Brian said: "I never dreamed today would arrive after all these years.

"Everything is so different nowadays to how it was when I was a teenager. Machines have taken over."

Brian followed his dad, John, into the Royal Mail, and his son, Neil, has been working in the same depot for the last eight years.

He is planning on spending his retirement gardening with his wife, Shirley, and spending time with their seven grandchildren.

Updated: 11:16 Friday, May 04, 2001