A FOND farewell to the cream of the crop – popular milkman Paul Gadsby delivered his final pint at the end of last month.

During his 34 years as a milkman in and around Haslemere, Paul has seen many changes and especially in the last few years.

When he started out, he delivered milk and cream and maybe a few eggs. Today, his round also includes nearly 200 grocery products, from bread and tea to breakfast cereals and fresh fruit juice.

The one thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the glass milk bottle. The ultimate in recycling, it is now reused up to 25 times.

Following his final round, Paul estimated he had delivered nearly 8.5 million pintas, enjoyed nearly 9,000 sunrises and walked over 125,000 miles.

Now approaching 65, Paul is retiring to spend more time with his family. He will be missed by the hundreds of customers he has delivered to over the years, many of whom have become firm friends.

Peter Luff, Chichester Dairy operations manager for milk&more said: “We want to thank Paul for his long and committed service to milk &more.

“Paul has seen multiple changes in his 34 years as a milkman and been an important part of the community.

“We are sad to see him go but wish him the best for his retirement and the future.”