AFTER being a regular face in Blackbird Leys for 13 years, Harry Liptrot is putting the bin bags away once and for all.

The 65-year-old street cleaner is retiring from his job with Oxford City Council.

After joining in 1999, the dad-of-three was later posted to work across the Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys estates. While he lives in Wheatley, Mr Liptrot said he felt most at home on the estate.

“I’ve got to know the estate very well. I became part of the community,” he said.

“People get to know you and come up to you in the mornings and say hello.

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“They tell you what’s going on in their lives, their little problems. It makes the day go quicker.

“You’re not just a council worker or a street cleaner, you’re a friend. I helped old people across the road and when the snow came, I moved it from people’s homes and school pathways. I don’t know if that would have happened anywhere else.”

Mr Liptrot, who said he would enjoy gardening in his retirement, said: “I won’t miss the job or getting up at 4.45am and being out in all sorts of weather, but being with the people I will miss. People did come up and say they appreciated your work. That helped a lot.”

Speaking about the estate’s reputation, he said: “I don’t think it was as bad as the reputation made it out to be in the first place. People are starting to take more pride in the estate.”

Balfour Road resident Brian Lester applauded Mr Liptrot’s service, and said: “He was always willing to go the extra mile to try to keep the area clean.

“He’s done the community proud. If you notice some litter here or there you could just tell him.”

Mr Liptrot’s boss Doug Loveridge, Streetscene services manager, said: “He is a likeable and approachable man and was very familiar with both the residents and councillors who would always say hello to him.

“He was proud of his work and very passionate about it. Such commitment and experience is very difficult to replace, and Harry will be greatly missed by us at the council as well as the Blackbird Leys estate which he served well.”

John Tanner, board member for a Cleaner Greener Oxford, said: “It’s people like Harry who make all the difference to delivering a cleaner city for the people of Oxford. I’d like to say a big thank you to Mr Liptrot for all he has done for the people of Oxford.”

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