LATELY there has been a lot of negativity concerning plastic material in all its forms, particularly plastic shopping bags.

The fact that there is more plastic than fish in the oceans has been quoted. A basic, such as milk, is now sold in plastic milk containers. The question is will the milkman make a return?

Delving way back into the ancient dusty cellar of my mind my thoughts speed back to the 1950s.

This was when Albert the milkman and his happy chinkling glass milk bottles, in their crates, alerted everyone to his daily delivery.

Albert was a happy soul and was always whistling a melodic tune and seemed to have no cares in the world.

That was until the day when there was a bit of a commotion out in the road here.

Alberts’ milk float was drawn by Neddy, his horse, and right outside our house Neddy had decided to take a rest.

Yes, Neddy was laying on his side in the middle of the road and obviously felt he deserved a rest.

Neighbours from across the road and either side rushed to help Dad and Albert get Neddy to his “feet.”

Neddy proved to be a ton weight but the saviours managed to get him upright, and making sure he was alright, set him on his way that morning.

At the time our garden was totally vegetables and I rushed to unearth a couple of juicy, fresh carrots which Neddy gratefully devoured.

The clip-clop of his hooves seemed to have a renewed vigour as he continued on his way, for there was certainly an extra spring in his clippety clop.

There certainly was an extra spring in his clippety clop.

John Porter Millway Road, Andover