Spennymoor News’s latest deliverer, Robert Farms, could be the oldest paperboy in the country.  

Robert was born in Tudhoe Lane in April 1934, making him 88 years old next month. 

This week, he begins his first ever paper round, delivering Spennymoor News to readers in Middlestone Moor.

A report in the Independent newspaper in 2020 claimed Britain’s oldest paperboy at the time, Alan Gillard was aged 84, so Robert would beat him by two years as Alan would now only be 86.

Robert attended Croxdale County School and left when he was 15. 

After he left school, he started working with his father Robert Hutchinson (called Bob) who was a painter and decorator.

In 1955 he was conscripted into the RAF at the age of 21. 

He married Rita Knaggs from Spennymoor in November 1955. 

When he was demobbed, he had various painting and decorating jobs until May 65 when he gained a job with Durham County Council also as a painter and decorator. 

Eventually he became a chargehand, then area foreman and finally the county supervisor, working from County Hall in charge of all painting and decorating, where he stayed until he retired. 

Robert is the oldest of eight; four boys and four girls. He has two children, a son Robert Graham, and a daughter Rosamond, five grand children and eight great grand children. 

He lost his wife Rita in June 2019 after 64 years of marriage. 

In earlier times Robert was a Youth Leader and ran the U18 football team at Spennymoor Youth Club. 

He was presented with a tankard for over 35 continuous years of service in football from Durham Football Association. 

He still likes walking with his brother David, gardening, and reading. 

Every Friday he volunteers at St Paul’s Centre foodbank and says all food donations are very welcome. 

It just goes to show you’re never too old to get a paper round!