Retrieve letters before first number from string

[illusionek]

Hello

I work with postcodes in various formats ie SE7 7AB or SE7; M20 1AB or M20 etc

I would like to retrieve letters from the left appearing before first number. In the above it would be SE or M.

Any suggestions?

 

[Fluff]

How about

Excel 2013/2016
	A	B
1	Postcode	abbr
2	AL1 1HB	AL
3	B1 1ER	B
4	BA1 2XS	BA
5	DY10 2BB	DY
6	E1 0NX	E
7	EC1A 1YS	EC
8	EN1 1BL	EN
9	EX1 1LJ	EX
10	FY1 1HD	FY
11	L1 9EA	L
Data

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
B2	=IF(ISNUMBER(--MID(A2,2,1)),LEFT(A2,1),LEFT(A2,2))

 

[mumps]

Try this formula: =MID(A2,1,MIN(IF(ISNUMBER(FIND({1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0},A2)),FIND({1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0},A2)))-1)
The value in A2 and the formula in B2.