ENGLAND's most westerly milkman is delivering his last round this week after providing a sterling service in West Penwith for nearly 20 years.

Coastguard Dave Jackson MBE is parking his float for the last time on Saturday before heading for pastures new.

He has been an essential part of a generation of doorstep delivery which like many other services has been suffering in the era of the supermarkets.

In his heyday he delivered milk to more than 300 customers covering areas such as Land's End, St Buryan, Sennen and Porthcurno.

But in the recent years the rounds have diminished to a third, forcing him to look for a more secure job.

During his career Mr Jackson has not only provided a vital service to many living in one of the most remote parts of the county but he has also looked out for the old and vulnerable and even prevented a fire taking hold of a building.

Even the recent snow fall didn't stop him from taking his delivery – despite it meaning working nearly round the clock for a week. "This year's snow was a challenge and I worked six days on the trot through the snow," he said.

"Mansel's Hill in Porthcurno was very slippery and the whole valley was frozen, so I decided to put the milk on a crate and pull it around. I had to stop five times to clear the snow, finishing the final round at 10.45pm.

"Last year I came across someone's garage that was on fire and once in St Buryan, I alerted the police after milk had been sitting on a doorstep for days. A guy had slipped and was stuck in his house for two days. I was also once called to give CPR to a man who had collapsed."

Mr Jackson says he feels guilty about quitting but has no choice. With only 130 customers left he fears he could be left without a secure income.

"As years passed, more and more people started getting their milk from the supermarkets and the need for the service has dropped considerably.

"The hardest thing about it is that I feel that I am letting a lot of people down because they are living out in the sticks and many are going to miss it terribly.

"But I think I have made the right decision to go before I am left with nothing.

"It has been something I have loved doing and I am going to miss it but I have got to look towards the future."