A dedicated charity collector who has been taking to his stationary bike for 40 years and has raised more than £250,000 has revealed he has no plans to stop.

Dale Howting, who is 82, has been collecting for good causes in Roman Square, Sittingbourne, and is fondly known by many as the Whistling Postman, from the days he used to work for the Royal Mail and made tuneful mail deliveries.

He said he had loved every minute of his work, which began on March 10, 1977. It involves him sitting on the bike mounted on a stand. While Mr Howting pedals away, he remains in the square.

The Goodnestone Road resident said: “It’s been a wonderful experience. I think of all the generations of people who have made it possible and my horse and cart, aka my cycle, and I are still going OK with a little cracking here and there.

“This week and every week, the children who go to school always say good morning and put their change in my box.

“It’s a credit to mums and dads and the schools to help those not so healthy as themselves – I like every one of you young and old who have helped me pull my horse and cart over the years.”

He hopes the next year of collecting will be special, adding: “It’s not just donations, there are foreign coins, old notes and old English money laying about that will help boost the amount.”

Mr Howting said he plans to continue getting cash for charity. His current total stands at £270,000, which has been split between organisations including Demelza House Hospice Care for Children in Bobbing, Kent Air Ambulance, Dementia UK and Age UK.

Mr Howting’s good work has not gone unnoticed, with him being awarded a British Empire Medal and even getting the chance to hold the Olympic Torch.

He added: “If you draw a straight line across from Sittingbourne to Sheerness and Sheerness to Faversham and Faversham to Sittingbourne, it becomes a diamond and that’s what you all are, every one of you.”