AT 85, Jack Hardcastle, may be the region’s oldest paper boy.

Jack has been delivering The Press for about ten years, since he took on the job from his grandson Daniel when he went to Leeds University.

The former agricultural worker, who retired when he was 62, wanted to keep the post open for his grandson when he returned to the family home in High Catton, near Stamford Bridge, but has ended up keeping it.

“I get a bit of exercise and it gets me out,” said Jack, who cycles to deliver the paper around the village, including to houses just outside High Catton.

He said he took the good weather with the bad, but the job kept him fit and active.

“I can get about grand and I sometimes go for a ride when I’m not taking The Presses.”

After living in the village for 40-odd years, he said he knew most of the residents, so the job could take him about half an hour or much longer if he got chatting.

He said he was happy the villagers appreciated what he did enough to nominate him for the Newspaper Deliverer Of The Year competition.

The Newspaper Deliverer of the Year awards, sponsored by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents (York branch) and JJB, are open to deliverers of paid and free Newsquest titles, such as The Press and The Gazette and Herald.

Readers can nominate deliverers, who have shown exceptional dedication, politeness or gone the extra mile, by filling in the nomination form and sending it to the freepost address on the form before February 12.

A panel of judges will then review the nominations and choose the winner.