When Bradford’s longest-serving binman made his final clean sweep and retired nine years ago, little did he suspect he would be back on the rounds again and this time with his daughter as his boss.

Ronnie Rubery was only a teenager the first time round when he started work with Bradford’s City Cleansing Department in 1962 – the same year that Marilyn Monroe died and the Rolling Stones formed – now at the age of 67 he has come back for more.

Mr Rubery, of Toftshaw Lane, Bierley, is even driving the same make of machine he drove for the Council as he goes around the 100 Bradford businesses who have signed up for his daughter Kirsty’s new recycling free collection business.

“Dad always used to say when I was little where there’s muck there’s brass and I’ve always remembered that,” said Kirsty who gave up work as a lecturer in animal behaviour to set up the business in May.

“The first day dad went out on the rounds he passed his old mates who were all waving and sounding their horns at him. He’s glad to be back. He was a bit fed-up with retirement.”

Mr Rubery’s dedication to the bins of Bradford earned him the nickname Mr City Centre. In his time with the Council he also turned his hand to other duties including gully work, skip wagons, gritting the roads through the winter nights, and operating the bulldozer at the tip.

But for the last official 25 working years he did the Town Round – clearing up rubbish from the city centre six days a week. Kirsty said: “When we went to look for wagons dad spotted his old wagon in the yard and jumped in straight away so that was one business decision made quickly.

‘‘He’s just helping us get the whole thing started. We’ve got 100 businesses so far who put out their recyclable rubbish for us to collect and take-away but we’re hoping things will get bigger. We’re hiring a yard off Tong Street at the moment to keep the wagon in but one day we want to have our own sorting plant.”

Asked about coming out of retirement Mr Rubery said: “It makes a change from just hanging about waiting for death!”