Market Drayton milkman replaces float after theft

But two months ago, thieves stole Graeme Hutchinson's van.

But now, to mark his milestone, he has now done-up a new electric van at a cost of £4,500.

Mr Hutchinson, who is a self-employed milkman with a base at James Beverages in Newport Road, has footage of thieves taking his old float from the premises.

The 55-year-old said: "My old float was stolen about eight weeks ago.

"It was all on camera, they were wearing baseball caps covering their faces, it took them ten minutes to get through the barriers and they used a low loader and switched on its full beam to blind the camera so you couldn't see the numberplate.

"They knew what they were doing.

"And even though it is all on camera, there is nothing that can be done because there are no faces.

"So I was left without a float."

Mr Hutchinson, who lives in Cheswardine, collects his milk from Cotteswold Dairy in Tewkesbury was told that they had an old float in their Llandudno base.

He then bought the electric float and has spent thousands restoring it to working order.

He said: "With collecting it and getting it fit for use it has cost about £4,500.

"I've had a lot of help from Lee from L and B Auto Services who has been a really good friend."

He has now been back on the streets delivering with his new float for about a month and still enjoying his job.

He initially began working for a dairy in 1988, when he first moved to Market Drayton, but has been self employed since 1992.

On Monday, his busiest day, his wake-up alarm goes of at 12.30am, and he is out loading up his float with milk at 2am.

He said: "I've just got to get some new signs with my name on the back of it now.

"I always say the worst part of my day is getting out of bed, but once I'm up it is fine.

"It is a job you either do or you don't, I've seen milkmen come and go, there are people that do it for a couple of weeks and decide they can't, then there are people like me who keep going on and on.

"The only problem I have is when I'm on holiday, because I'm used to an afternoon nap but everyone else is still going."