Milkie shaken
Beaten delivery man quits just before 50 years in job
A MILKMAN who has never missed a shift in nearly 50 years has been forced to retire – after a masked thief beat him and stole his float.
Grandad-of-four John Kershaw, 65, was battered with a baseball bat he kept in his float after an attack three months earlier when another van was nabbed.
John had to be treated for bruising to his face and body in hospital after the latest attack on Easter Monday.
He has now decided to cut short his 50 years of delivering milk, which he would have celebrated in August.
He and wife Jill, 64, a retired NHS worker, decided to hand-write to his 200 customers explaining his departure.
Dad-of-two John, of Littleborough, Rochdale, said: “I could have retired last year but
I really wanted to make it to 50 years in the trade.
“Making it to 50 was always my goal so it’s a shame but I just thought to myself, I can’t go on.”
John was halfway through his shift when a masked thug pulled him out of his float. He said: “I decided to keep a baseball bat in the van after the last attack.
“I went in to get it but he grabbed it off me and started beating me. It was a good few minutes but it felt like forever. “I had a bum bag on my waist that had a spare set of keys in. He rifled through before yelling: ‘Give me the keys, you’re old, man, I don’t want to have to kill you.’ Then he drove off.”
John, who was taken to Oldham General Hospital, got his plumber son John Henry Kershaw, 34, and daughter Helen, 40, to deliver the notes to customers around Rochdale, Lancs. The letter said: “It is with regret that I must retire from delivering your milk. It is a job I’ve done nearly 50 years having taken over from my mum and dad. “Unfortunately I have had my van stolen again and beaten quite badly. “I would like to thank you for your support over the many years.” John, who hopes a friend will take over, said: “It started as a family business and I suppose it’s ended like that.”
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