A loyal worker has said a sad goodbye to the Colchester butchers' shop she has worked at for 61 years.

Joyce Pyman, 75, of Mile End, Colchester, has retired from Allen and Son Butchers in St Botolph's Street, and her colleagues thanked her for all her hard work by throwing a surprise party.

All Mrs Pyman knew before the bash was she was going out for a meal with the Allen family.

But when she arrived at the Cricketers in Fordham Heath, the rest of the staff were there too, and to mark her retirement they presented her with a silver locket.

Mrs Pyman officially finished work at the end of last year due to poor health which meant the surprise party had to be put off until now.

She started working as a cashier at the shop when she was 14 years old and over the years has worked for three generations of the Allen family - she even remembers current boss John Allen when he was a baby.

Working for Allen and Son really does run in the Pyman family as her father Percy also worked for the butchers for 50 years.

Mrs Pyman said some of the regulars may even still know her by her maiden name of Wyncoll.

Now she has left her cashier's desk behind each and every day a steady stream of customers ask staff at the shop what she is up to and how she is.

Mrs Pyman said: "I've always got on with the people here, and I always used to do things like bring in hot sausage rolls for them on Friday mornings and chocolate cakes.

"They have all been very good to me."

Now she has retired Joyce still plans to visit her friends at the shop when she can.

John Allen, owner of Allen and Son Butchers, which celebrates being in Colchester for 70 years this year, said: "We have missed her a lot since she left. Really she is an extension of the family.

"Everyone is still talking about her and a large percentage of our customers ask about how she is getting on."

Parting gift Joyce Pyman shows off her silver locket leaving present with John and Kate Allen and the rest of the staff at Allens Butchers in St Botolphs Street, Colchester.

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