Medal win gets the stamp of approval

Royal Mail said the Brownlee stamp would be on sale in more than 500 post offices across the UK by lunchtime today.

The company is putting out a special first class stamp with gold lettering for each British athlete who strikes gold at the 2012 Games.

Alistair’s stamp features a picture of him in typically-determined action during yesterday’s triathlon.

It will be available at a further 4,700 post offices nationwide within the next week.

Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene said the firm was “delighted” by the chance to pay tribute to the athlete and his fellow winners.

She went on: “This is a first for Royal Mail and we are proud to play our part in celebrating the many victories this summer.

“We will be printing millions of stamps to enable customers to celebrate these sporting successes and I’m sure they will be treasured as unique souvenirs of Team GB’s victories for years to come.”

Local post offices taking delivery of Brownlee stamps today include the branch at 37 Church Lane, Pudsey.

They can also be purchased via the www.royalmail.com/goldmedalstamps web page or by calling Royal Mail’s customer service centre on 08457 641641.

A red postbox in the Brownlee family’s home town of Horsforth was today due to be painted gold to recognise Alistair’s achievement at the Olympics.

The same eye-catching treatment has been given to a postbox at Barker’s Pool in Sheffield as a tribute to heptathlon heroine Jessica Ennis.