POSTIE of the people Keith Jameson has kept on delivering for housebound pensioners - despite hanging up his letters bag six months ago.

The 63-year-old, from Key Way, Fulford, York, gets up at 7am every Sunday to take newspapers to more than a dozen elderly people on his former round in Skeldergate.

Keith was recently honoured for his community spirit and 39 years service to the Post Office with an invitation to join the Queen at a Buckingham Palace garden party.

"When I first started in 1966, part of my job was to keep an eye on old people and keep their fires going during the winter," he said.

"I've just kept it going."

Keith cut a popular figure on his round in the Skeldergate, Bishop's Hill and Micklegate areas, and was regularly invited in for breakfast or to warm up by the fire.

He was often called upon to call the doctor when people on his round were ill, and once even helped to save the life of an elderly woman during his round after noticing she had collapsed.

"I saw the lady on the floor through the curtains, so I broke the door down and alerted the police and social services," Keith said.

"Her son and daughter couldn't thank me enough.

"I was often the only contact many of my elderly customers had with the outside world. The community work was part and parcel of the job. The Post Office culture changed a bit, but it never changed me."

Keith, who was a keen road race walker, said he used to open mail and make a cup of tea every day for another customer who had suffered a stroke.

"I still deliver the Sunday papers to about a dozen people who were on my round," he said.

"It worked both ways. When I was freezing or wet through, I used to look forward to seeing them and getting warm."

Keith's wife, Judith, said the Queen's garden party was a "wonderful experience".

"It was lovely for Keith to finally be recognised for all he's done," she said.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said Keith gave "long and loyal service" and was a "first class" postman.

"He was extremely popular with his colleagues and customers," she said.

Updated: 11:30 Friday, August 19, 2005