'Britain's oldest' milkman's coffin travels on milk float

A "fitting tribute" has been paid to the "UK's oldest" milkman as his coffin was laid on the back of his milk float.

Derek Arch died last month aged 95 and only stopped delivering in the Coventry area about two years ago, having started in 1943, aged 14.

His funeral was held at Canley Crematorium on Wednesday.

"He had hoped to keep delivering until 100, but sadly he didn't make it," friend Gurmit Sandhu said.

After Mr Arch's coffin was driven to the crematorium gates in a hearse, Mr Sandhu said it was put on to his float for the short journey to the entrance.

"It was something special for him - a fitting tribute," he said.

"There were about 100 people there... his immediate family obviously knew what was planned."

Speaking to the BBC in 2018, Mr Arch said he believed he was the UK's oldest milkman as he marked his 90th birthday. Despite celebrating, he still got up at 02:30 BST to travel to the dairy to prepare for his 05:30 round.

He delivered to more than 200 homes in his home city of Coventry over three hours.

It was a business he carried on after his grandfather founded D Arch and Son in 1873.

Mr Sandhu said Mr Arch lost his wife Betty two months before he died on 25 July.

The couple had moved into separate care homes, he believed, about a year or so ago.

"He was a lovely man, they both were," Mr Sandhu said.

"He was very friendly - he got to know a lot of people on his rounds. We've known them for about 20 years.

"He said he was sad after she died and he missed her."

Seeing the coffin on his milk float was "quite a spectacle", he added.

"It was nice to see him like that.

"It's something he's done all his life - he would have liked it."

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