A MILKMAN has been honoured for saving the life of an elderly woman.

Tony Isherwood scooped the high-profile award at a Citizenship ceremony after receiving a host of glowing nominations from residents on his daily round in Turton and Edgworth.

Judges heard how Tony removed the front door of an elderly woman's house after spotting her collapsed in the front room.

The milkman unscrewed the door from its hinges and called the emergency services.

But it is not the first time the 60-year-old has battled against the odds.

Ten years ago, a bus collided head-on with Tony's milk van, leaving him with severe injuries including a badly crushed stomach.

Despite being in the operating theatre for six hours, Tony was back at work within three months.

He said: "I was determined to get back to my round. There was no doubt in my mind although doctors said it was touch and go."

The award ceremony was held this week by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Tony, who has been doing the same round for 34 years, gets up at 4am every day for his six-hour shift.

And he welcomed the award, saying: "I'm just doing my job but it's great to know that my customers appreciate it."

When Tony, who lives in Darwen, was in hospital after the crash, he received nearly 100 "get well" cards that spurred his recovery.

At the ceremony, he received a cheque for £50, a framed certificate and a clock which now sits proudly on his sideboard.

Tony added: "The customers are great and I've made a lot of friends. I always have a lot of laughs with them.

"It's becoming a struggle now to keep it going. But I'm still in decent shape and I'm sure I've got a couple of years left in me yet!"