The Last Post has sounded for an Oxfordshire postman.

Villagers in Great Milton, near Thame, turned out in force to bid a fond farewell to their popular postman.

Trevor Cox, 65, from Chalgrove, officially hung up his mailbag on Saturday.

But just before Christmas, more than 80 villagers gathered outside Great Milton Post Office to celebrate the 65-year-old’s retirement with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie. They presented the grandfather-of-six with a “substantial cheque” to put towards a holiday, and a bouquet of flowers for his wife Diane, 61, a supervisor at Debenhams in Oxford.

Great Milton postmaster Christine Donnelly said the turn-out had been fantastic.

She said: “There were so many villagers that we couldn’t get everyone in the Post Office and they had to gather outside.

“Trevor’s become part of the fabric of the village, he knows everyone.

“He’s out in all kinds of weather and I’ve never known him not have a smile or a kind word.”

Mr Cox became Great Milton's postman 15 years ago after working as a TV engineer for 30 years.

He said he enjoyed the job so much he would have done it for nothing.

He said: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it – well, nearly every minute. The one thing I won’t miss is when it’s raining and the rain is running down my back and filling my shoes.

“I shall miss all my friends in the village.

“I always felt I had the best patch in Oxfordshire.

“I should have finished at the end of November, but my bosses asked me to stay on for an extra five weeks to help with the Christmas period.

“I’d have loved to have carried on until I dropped, but I have to retire.”

Mr Cox, a keen traveller, thanked villagers for their generous collection, which he said he would put towards a trip to South America.

He said: “We’ve been to India, Thailand and Gambia, but I’ve always wanted to go to Peru and Bolivia.”

Villager Phil Ashworth, 56, described Mr Cox as a pillar of the community who would be greatly missed.

He said: "Trevor is an important part of the village.

“He’s trusted by everyone and undoubtedly a very special person.

“He’s everyone idea of what they want their postman to be like – a great advert for the Post Office.”