BLACKBURN posties Michael Ashton and Gail Bean stepped out of the sorting office and into the limelight to celebrate the launch of a new set of stamps.

The pair, who both work at the Royal Mail's sorting office in Canterbury Street, were transformed into two of Britain's best-loved entertainment figures.

Michael became Dr Who, complete with long coat and scarf, while Gail was given a moustache and cane to become comic genius Charlie Chaplin.

They were taking part in a local promotion for the new Entertainers' Tales stamps, which feature Queen star Freddie Mercury, World Cup hero Bobby Moore, a Dalek from Dr Who and Chaplin.

Hamming it up for the cameras is nothing new for Michael - he works as an actor when not delivering mail and has appeared in Coronation Street, Brookside and Red Dwarf.

The new stamps are issued today. The set is the sixth in the Royal Mail's Millennium Collection being issued to celebrate 1,000 years of British achievements.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.