CRAVEN man Sam Avons is set to go down in history for the second time next month.

Mr Avons was a crew member of the world's first working submarine and is now the first person from the district to feature on a postage stamp.

And he is set to be seen on the corner of letters right across the world.

The former Cross Hills postman is pictured as a crew member of the sub Holland 1.

The photograph, taken in 1901, is reproduced on a 65p stamp as part of a new set to commemorate the centenary of the submarine service.

They will be unveiled on April 10 at a special ceremony at North Yorkshire's famous Eden Camp.

Although he died in the mid 1960s, Mr Avons is remembered by former submariner and Skipton man Sam Bottomley.

"I came out of the Navy in 1957 but shortly before that I was in Cross Hills Working Men's Club when Sam came up to talk to me," said Mr Bottomley.

"He told me that he'd served as a crew member of Holland 1 and showed me a load of photographs of his days in the submarine service.

"Sam originally came from Taunton but he was a postman at Cross Hills.

"Sadly he's no longer with us as he died in the British Legion home in Ripon."

Mr Bottomley believes the picture featured on the new postage stamp was taken when on the Solent when the submarine was on its way out of Portsmouth.

Although he is difficult to make out, Mr Avons is second from the left.

Holland 1 was originally stationed at the submarine base at Gosport, which has since been disbanded.

The 122 ton Holland Class boat has been hailed as the first wholly successful submarine in history.

In 1901, the British Navy adopted and developed the design of John Holland and the Royal Navy Submarine Service was born.

The boat was 63 feet long and powered on the surface by an internal combustion engine.

This was coupled to an electric generator which recharged the batteries and powered the electric motor for running when it submerged.

Royal Mail's Skipton area manager Ian McCormick said: "Our aim is to celebrate the most significant developments in the history of the unique service and at the same time capture the immense power, heroism and endurance of submarines.

"We hope this issue will commemorate the crucial work of the Royal Navy Submarine Service and the personal risk and sacrifice its crews around the world have made and still make today."

The 65p stamp, used for airmail letters, also features a reproduction of John Holland's original submarine design.

The photograph of Mr Avons and the rest of the crew was borrowed from the Royal Naval Submarine Museum at Gosport.

The actual anniversary of the submarine service is on October 2, but the Royal Mail is issuing the stamps next month to coincide with the start of a series of celebratory events.

A further set of submarine-related stamps and a special stamp book will be issued in October.