Still delivering a first-class service at 78, Esther's Kylesku post office shed spared the axe

She began work in 1953 – the year of the Queen's coronation – and for the past 27 years she has worked from a 8ft by 6ft hut in her garden. She still provides a six-days-a-week service at Kylesku in Sutherland and has no thoughts of retiring.

During that time, she has survived several rounds of post office closures and overcome changes such as decimalisation and the introduction of computers.

She said: "It is a small community which needs a post office. I managed to escape the closures that have come around, which is a great relief. And I don't want to retire.

"If I left I can't see anyone else coming in and taking it over, so I will continue for as long as I can.

"It is a lifeline service to the locals, and is very much used by visitors."

Her base is ten miles from the nearest post office in Scourie and, as well as offering a local service to the community, the building has become a tourist attraction.

"It's quite something for people to see a post office in a shed," she said. "During the tourist season, a lot of people visit and want to see round the place."

Originally from Elphin, 18 miles away, Mrs Brauer settled in Kylesku aged 18 when she married her first husband, Ian Clark, whose parents ran the old post office from their home. When they moved to Tain she took over the job.

She later married Walter Brauer, former head ferryman at Kylesku, and they moved a mile along the road to his home at Ferry House, where she has run the post office from a shed since 1983.

Until she was 60, she was also the local postie, delivering mail on an arduous 18-mile route. When she stood down from that role she was presented with a gold watch by the community.

One of the biggest changes she has seen has been computerisation. "Originally I just had paper and pen," she said. "I wasn't interested in getting a computer, but all the post offices had to do it a few years ago. I got a day's training and there was so much to take in but I just got on with it."

Mrs Brauer says that she has does not want to give up her work. "I feel I would be letting people down if I did," she said. "It is still a lifeline service, because we are so remote. People need to get their mail and be able to send their mail.

"I like doing the job. It's an interest and I meet a lot of people and have made a lot of friends through working here. I still get Christmas cards from people who have visited."

Her long service brought a tribute yesterday from Post Office Ltd. A spokesman said: "Esther Brauer has given absolutely outstanding service to Post Office Ltd and to her customers.

"As with so many subpostmasters and mistresses, she has shown incredible dedication to serving her local community. We have a small number of exceptionally long-serving subpostmasters and mistresses in Scotland and Mrs Brauer ranks amongst them and she is a credit to our business."