A POSTMAN retiring after 44 years in the service says that the humble postie will never be replaced by computers.

Dave Lewis has worked in the Blackburn delivery office, in Canterbury Street, for nearly 25 years of his career.

The father-of one, from Accrington, moved to East Lancashire from London and at first had trouble making himself understood.

Now, he is retiring as one of the most popular workers in the service.

Dave, of Whalley Road, said: "When it comes to the delivery centres, which is what we are, it's down to the human element. It comes down to a human in the end, and that part has never changed."

Dave began his career with the Royal Mail in 1960 as a boy messenger, gradually working his way up to become a postman. He now lives with his wife, Josephine, who works for Post Office Counters Ltd and has a son, David, 20, a soldier with the Royal Signals Corps.

During his long he has seen changes in the job, with computers taking over many of the roles once done by humans. But to Dave, one part of the job he loves will never be done by machines.

He said: "In the early days the workplace was different, because there were a lot of ex-national service soldiers and they were very disciplined. The office was run in the same way.

"They used to check your shoes and belts and they couldn't do that now.

"I have worked outside most of my career of 40 years and I prefer the open-air life. Overall, I like meeting people. You get to know all of your customers and if they have got just one postman serving people every day I think that is much more beneficial.

"I have got to know the people on my Preston New Road route after five years. They know me and I know them."

For southerner Dave, from Croydon, moving to Lancashire with its thick dialects was a problem and, at first, he had problems talking to people.

But now he has immersed himself in the Lancashire way of life, playing the drums in the Accrington Pipe Band and singing with the Clitheroe Royal British Legion Band.

He said: "One thing that stands out is that when I first came here, I was from down south and standing at a bus stop in Skew Bridge.

"I was asking where to catch the bus and a woman asked if I was from Australia! I thought, are people going to be able to understand me?"

Friend and colleague Michael Ashton, said: "He is brilliant to work with. Over the years we have taken the mick out of him, but he is one of the lads and a good guy to work with."