IN HIS 48 years as a bin man, Brian Reynolds visited a whopping 16 million households and moved over 330,000 tonnes of rubbish.

This un-sung hero of our county’s waste collection service has now retired, and his family, friends and colleagues turned out to wish him well at a ceremony held at the Withybush Yard on Friday (June 19).

Richard Brown, head of Environmental Services at Pembrokeshire County Council, thanked Brian for his “lifetime of service to the people of Pembrokeshire”.

“It’s a phenomenal achievement on Brian’s part. People rarely stay in jobs for that long, particularly when it’s hard physical work like this,” said Mr Brown. “He’s a real gentleman and a hard worker who will be sorely missed. I’m proud to have known him.”

Nigel Orchard, who worked with Brian for 29 years, said he was a “brilliant man” who had always helped and advised newcomers.

Brian lives in Merlins Bridge and joined the service – then run by Haverfordwest Rural District Council - in March 1967. He was hoping to make 50 years, but was forced to retire early due to ill health.

“I miss the company the most,” he said. “I really enjoyed my job.”

At the ceremony, Brian’s daughter Clare read a poem she had written, and he was presented with a range of special gifts including a watch and a glass tankard decorated with a dustcart.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Brian admitted. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this! I’d like to thank everyone for this great send-off.”

Brian’s years on the bins have left him with plenty of stories to tell – like the time he found a prosthetic arm.

“We hung it out of the back of the lorry as a joke, and we were stopped by the Police as we went down Barn Street!” he laughed. “The officer came up to the window and said “I hope for your sakes that arm isn’t real”. That one really sticks in my mind.”