VILLAGERS said it with flowers to celebrate the wedding of their kind postie.

As well as delivering mail to Launton’s residents, Clare Willson always goes out of her way to help villagers.

She checks on the elderly and even did the ironing for one resident who had been ill.

A chance chat about the high cost of nuptials gave villager Ruth Walton an idea about how residents could pay back Miss Willson’s generosity.

They decided to cover the cost of flowers for Miss Willson’s big day.

A collection box, placed in Launton post office in February, brought in almost £500.

Mrs Walton, of The Poplars, Launton, near Bicester, said: “I thought it would be nice for us to do something for her as she always does so much for us. She had been saying how expensive weddings were and she was not able to do as much as she wanted to do.”

Mrs Walton, 44, and neighbour Sarah Kidney, a florist, organised the flowers.

She said: “Initially we only wanted to cover the cost of the flowers but we are going to be able to give her a cheque for the balance.”

The money collected paid for the bride’s bouquet, bridesmaids’ posies, reception flowers and decorated St Mary’s Church, in Launton.

Mrs Walton said of Miss Willson: “She’s very helpful and always looks in on the older people. Sometimes she’s the only person they see.

“She did the ironing for one lady, and if people are not in and she has post that needs a signature, she always tries to find someone to sign to save you going to collect it.”

Miss Willson, 37, of Glory Farm, Bicester, who married fiance Wayne Walker, on Saturday, has delivered mail in the village for about 12 years.

She said she was “overwhelmed” by the generosity of residents.

The new bride added: “It’s an old-fashioned village and they tell me I’m an old-fashioned postie because I do everything I can to help people. It’s unbelievable that villagers have gone out of their way to put money towards paying for our flowers.”

She said it was just her nature to help people.