A POSTMAN from Saltcoats has been surprising residents in the Three Towns by dressing up as different fictional characters to complete his rounds.

Gerry Long has been delivering letters as Captain Jack Sparrow, a clown, a naval officer, and everybody’s favourite cartoon sailor Popeye.

Since the beginning of the lockdown Gerry had been thinking of ways to cheer up the community and for the last week he has been dressing up as different characters to bring a smile to people’s faces.

Gerry said: “I just done it for a laugh to cheer the kids up. There’s people chapping their windows giving me the thumbs up, it’s great.

“People have been telling me they love it.

“There’s one lady on my route who’s housebound and she said ‘you fairly brighten up my day’.

“There’s one boy who left me out a juice and some sweets with a note saying ‘To Gerry, the best postman ever’ and that brought a tear to my eye.

“It’s been worth it for that alone.”

"I couldn't have done it without my wife Trisha, she's been brilliant."

Gerry’s been relying on friends, relatives as well as his own stock of costumes but worries that he’ll run out soon.

One potential left of field solution to this problem was raised by Gerry in a chat with the Herald.

Any bored kids stuck in the house with nothing to do could make him a costume to keep his character fresh everyday.

Gerry is also hoping to start fundraising for the Whitlees Community Centre.

Posties have been some of the only people citizens have been able to interact with as the country continues to observe social-isolation measures.

So if you get a visit from this shape shifting postie be sure to give him a wave.

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