For 50 years steeplejack Bert Wilkinson has been on top of his job.

He has climbed 290ft high chimneys, delved down wells and even had a pint named after him.

But after all the ups and downs he is hanging up his hammer and chisel and retiring from George Drake (Steeplejacks) Ltd in Bradford.

Bert, pictured, who is the third generation of his family to work for the company, was the youngest steeplejack in the city when he started out on April 7, 1953.

"I had been up chimneys before," he said. "I went up a church spire in Batley when I was nine - as kids used to do!"

Bert, 65, of Oakleigh Avenue, Clayton, followed in his father Ralph's footsteps and has always had a head for heights.

"I like doing repairs but I think I have most enjoyed felling chimneys, the adrenaline gets going when it starts to creak and groan before it finally falls," he said. "Although those who can't run fast are not here to tell the tale!"

In his long career he has climbed most of the chimneys in Bradford and left his mark on the historic Lister's Mill in Manningham.

"We did an inspection in the late 1970s - you get a good view from up there," he said. "All the people who have been up there have carved their names into the stone with a hammer and chisel. It's amazing how many there are."

But despite one of his colleagues defying serious injury after plunging 90ft on a job in Hull, Bert has never taken a tumble.

"I've never fallen - I have been very lucky," he said.

His favourite chimney is Jowett's on Sunbridge Road.

"All three generations of my family worked on it and the repairs we carried out made sure it was still standing," he said.

But he has found the work has evolved from soot and sweat and now the firm specialises in lightning conductors.

George Drake Steeplejacks was formed in 1875 and Bert became a director in 1978 with his wife Ann who is also retiring as company secretary.

But the family tradition will stop with him as his son Stephen is a director of a chemical company and his other son Richard is store manager at Morrisons in Illingworth.

"I will be a bit sad to retire really, I have made a lot of friends and you meet people from all walks of life," he said.

"But my son has a cottage at Wyke and he has 1,001 jobs for me to do to keep me busy!"