LIKE father, like son... a subtle changing of the guard has taken place at the top of the village!

Goodbye and good luck to John and Barbara Sheppard, who at long last have followed the desire of their hearts and decamped to the sunny Isle of Wight.

John and Barbara's ceramics business has been a feature of The Street for many years, and John's first wife, Anne, was the village postmistress from there for even longer.

Now son Matthew has taken over the premises with his wife Helen, as they celebrate their first anniversary next week, with soon-to-be new baby on the way to make a third generation of Sheppards in Rotherwick.

Nice to have you back!

END of the milk run... 'tis the season for farewells as a capacity crowd met at the Leather Bottle in Mattingley on Saturday to raise a glass to Paul the milkman, aka Paul Clarke, and wish him well in his retirement after 35 years of delivering milk and good cheer around the villages.

A secret whip-round enabled Sir John Stanier to present Paul with a surprise cheque for over £1,200 as a thank you from everyone.

He's looking forward to spending it on his garden!

Paul in turn would like to thank everyone who helped organise Saturday's event and was really very touched by the splendid turnout.

GOOD Golly Miss Molly... look what's happening down at the village hall next Friday night!

Strut your stuff at a '60s disco in aid of Action Medical Research on September 17 and help our own Hettie Dibben raise funds for her Sahara trek.

Admission is only £20, to include an organic hog roast dinner, bar, and prizes for the best, dare I say, "period costumes"!

Call Hettie on 764518, for tickets and more details.