They say never send boys to do a man's job - and nowhere is this more true than at iconic Oxford newsagents, Honey's on the High.

The shop's two paperboys have a combined age of more than 150 years - making them the oldest in the city.

Maurice Honey, 77, together with Lionel Webb, 74, have been delivering newspapers to the people of central Oxford for more than 40 years.

However, the recent sale of the shop by Maurice's son and Lionel's daughter, Nigel and Carol Honey, means that the evergreen twosome will now be out of a job. The shop is continuing as a newsagents under the same name.

Maurice Honey started delivering newspapers when he and his wife Joan opened the family-run shop in Walton Street in 1963.

Maurice said: "We had a really large amount of customers that needed their morning papers, especially during term-time when all the students wanted their copies.

"There was no way you'd get a paperboy to take so many, so I decided to do it in my car."

The shop then moved to its current location on the High Street in 1977 and when Nigel and Carol Honey took over the shop in 1990, he continued to help out by doing the morning paper round.

Ten years ago he was joined by Carol's dad, Lionel Webb. Mr Webb, 74, said: "Since I can't drive, I have to take a bike and trailer. Even with that it took me three or four trips each morning - if I'd had a normal bag then I would have been delivering all day."

Maurice Honey said: "The job certainly didn't get any easier over the years, and I'm certainly not going to miss the early starts."

The pair's 'boss', Nigel Honey said: "They must be the oldest paperboys in Oxford, and they loved doing it. They were very reliable and never let me down. They're going to have to retire as I think they'll find it hard to get anyone else to give them a job!"

Nigel and Carol Honey, 47, have decided to sell the shop, which has become a familiar part of Oxford.

Nigel Honey said: "It's pretty unusual for a shop to be in the same family for so many years - as far I know we were the longest-run family business in the centre.

"Our final day in the shop was one of real mixed feelings, and it's obviously sad as we've been there so long.

"We've both enjoyed working here and running the shop, but it's a big tie and a job that takes up seven days a week.

"Other shopowners have reacted with a certain surprise that we're leaving - they see us as part of the fixtures and fittings."

Nigel and Carol, who live in Headington, are taking a month off to think about their future plans.

Mr Honey said: "At the moment we haven't got a clue what we are going to do next. I've been working at Honey's since I was at school so I would certainly like to do something different."

The shop has been brought by Hanish Patel, 33, from London, who has promised to retain the name. Mr Patel said: "It's really exciting to be taking over what is a real institution of Oxford."