Milkman Geoffrey Lonsdale has gotta lotta bottles - but not all of them contain milk.

Customers can buy shampoo, toiletries and even over-the-counter medicines from him as well as the traditional pinta.

And the more non-dairy products the residents of north and west York buy from him, the more he'll knock off their milk bill.

MILKMAN Geoffrey Lonsdale who is planning to sell toiletries and over-the-counter medicines in York Picture: Frank Dwyer

Mr Lonsdale, of G and A Lonsdale, has branched out into the drugstore trade in a bid to persuade more people to buy their milk on their doorsteps instead of in supermarkets. His move was prompted by unsuccessful attempts by supermarkets to undercut chemists on cough and cold remedies.

He said he wanted to stop the trend away from the traditional milkman delivering milk direct to the doorstep. Mr Lonsdale plans to sell toiletries and medicines at supermarket prices, but for every pound a customer spends, he will knock 17p off their milk bill. He stressed that in general medicines will be available only over the phone. He will not carry them with the milk, shampoo, toothpaste etc on the float, but deliver them in a separate door-to-door delivery.

He said: "We are not being irresponsible by leaving the pharmaceuticals on the doorstep for children. We will be delivering those directly, going to people's houses and handing them over to people. We are a responsible body."

Court injunctions forced the big supermarket chains to abandon attempts to sell medicine at less than recommended retail prices, but Mr Lonsdale is confident he is acting within the law.

The G and A Lonsdale company operates milk rounds in Tang Hall, Haxby, Wigginton and New Earswick. The non-dairy delivery service will be carried out by its new branch, Target 4000.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.