Red letter day for posties

Husband and wife team Ray and Tracey Yarsley will get the stamp of approval for both achieving more than 20 years services with the Royal Mail.

The pair of posties are among 178 from across Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, the Wyre Forest and Stoke who have notched-up a staggering 3,700 years service between them.

Their long-service achievements are to be recognised at a celebration at the Copthorne Hotel, in Brierley Hill, this Saturday.

Among those receiving their awards will be Ray and Tracey, of Kidderminster, who have each put in 20 years. Ray had been with the business for six months when Tracey joined in January 1988.

They got together 14 years ago when Ray, aged 44, asked her out to the cinema.

Ray, who is chairman of Kidderminster Hospital Radio, said: "Throughout all our time at Royal Mail we always seemed to get thrown together."

Based at Kidderminster, he delivers mail to people in the Clows Top, Bayton and Mamble areas. Tracey, aged 41, who recently gave up her job, said they "loved getting out and meeting their customers".