ON BBC Radio 4 last week, there has been a series in which people speak about their experience as paper boys (or girls) when they were younger.

This took me back to when I was about 14 and 15 and did a paper-round for Burrows the newsagents which used to be down Desborough Road (I think the shop is still there).

I delivered papers to houses in West Wycombe Road, bottom of Plomer Hill, Chapel Lane and Gilletts Lane.

On Saturdays, I collected money from some customers.

This was between 1939 and 1941, and the object was to help my mother out who was receiving ten shillings a week widow’s pension.

I was paid two shillings (10p) for the six days I worked, and at the time this seemed quite acceptable.

What has puzzled me since those days is what has happened to money?

My main reason for writing to you however is that I suddenly thought there must have been other boys doing different rounds at the same time. I’d love to know if any are still around.

And I dare say there are plenty of boys and girls today who know exactly what it feels like when the bike blows over in wet and windy weather and all the papers fall into muddy puddles and you have no idea which paper goes where.

Happy days!

Norman Belson, Littleworth Road, Downley