AFTER more than four decades of working for one of the oldest colleges in Oxford, Ted Busby has retired - aged 82.

Mr Busby, who started working at Lincoln College on Turl Street, Oxford, in 1962 has worked as a scout, a bar tender, an assistant butler and head butler.

And Mr Busby, who lives in Abingdon Road, Oxford, says life at the college has changed completely since he started working there 45 years ago.

He said: "When I started here, Lincoln College was a male-only college and the students used to get up to all sorts of pranks.

"They once set up high table out on the quad with all the chairs and cutlery. Another time they filled one of the corridors with snow, so that no one could get through.

"It was all done with the best of intentions and if ever any damage was done they would own up straight away."

Current head butler Kevin Egleston, who was a one-time apprentice of Mr Busby, said he would be missed by everyone, especially old students who still visit the college.

Mr Egleston said: "Ted was the head barman at one point, so he got to know people by their christian names. People are always asking after him and still remember him even after 35 years."

He said Mr Busby ran a "tight ship" in his time as head butler, and took pride in enforcing the college's dining etiquette.

He said: "If you took red wine to the high table, Ted would always make sure that it wasn't too close to the water otherwise it would chill. And with champagne he always used to say, 'you should never let the cork pop, it should sound like a lady's hiccup.'"

In his time at Lincoln College, Mr Busby has served politicians, royalty and authors - as either students or guests.

Mr Busby said: "I've served Prince Phillip, the Crown Prince of Japan, the President of Iceland, and Agatha Christie. And those are just the ones I remember."

Mr Busby said he would miss working at the college but planned to call in occasionally to see his old colleagues.

He said: "I plan to stop by now and again. I know I shall miss it terribly. I hope to keep myself occupied some how as I don't intend to let the arm chair get me. But it's going to be hard."