TWO Worcester brothers are the cream of the crop when it comes to delivering your daily pinta.

For Ken and Mick Atkinson have 101 years in the trade between them and Mick has never taken a single day off sick in his entire working life of 49 years.

Ken, now aged 73, of Keswick Drive, Warndon, left school on his 14th birthday and began working on a milk round in Brickfields and Rainbow Hill. In those days they used a horse and cart to carry the milk, he said.

During his 52 years as a milkman, Ken who retired six years ago, worked in every part of Worcestershire - from Kidderminster to Badsey and out to the Herefordshire borders - as a relief worker. But he is best known as the Kempsey milkman where he did the rounds for 49 years.

During an industrial dispute involving the Co-op, Ken lost his job and the people of Kempsey had a petition saying "No Ken, no milk", he said.

He started his own round in the village which was eventually bought out by Bennetts.

"They are brilliant people in Kempsey," said Ken, who also took on the job of maintaining the village churchyard, cleaned windows and did farm work after his round had finished.

"Some of the best friends I had were the gipsies and their kids who are now grown up."

In his 52 years of deliveries, Ken had just five days of sickness when he was taken to hospital with rheumatic fever.

Mick, aged 64, of Pinkett Street, Worcester, started work at 15 as his brother's mate and took on his own round in Pershore when he was 21. Mick was Pershore's milkman for 20 years.

He was promoted to supervisor while working for Bennetts and continued in that role while the Lower Wick dairy was run by Avonmore, Arla Foods and now Dairy Crest. But he still stands in as a milkman when required.

"I still do Kempsey to fill in for holidays and the first thing a lot of people say when they see me is How's Ken?'," he said.

Mick admits there have been days when he has not been well but he has always turned up for work and he is totally confident that he will not take a day off sick before he retires next May.

The brothers say working in the fresh air has helped them get over any ill health and they have loved their work - particularly meeting people.

"We have met some great characters," they said.