WORK is very much a family affair for Colchester grandad Martyn Rayner.

Seven members of his family work with him at Colchester General Hospital.

His wife Maria, 49, and daughter Ashlee, 22, are receptionists in accident and emergency.

Sons Sam, 28, and Adam, 24, are porters for Carillion, which provides cleaning, catering and portering service at the Turner Road hospital. Adam’s wife Krystal, 25, also works for the company.

Sam’s girlfriend Natalie McIntyre, 20, works as a healthcare assistant on West Bergholt Ward and Martyn’s younger sister Carolyn Newman, 46, has worked as a midwife at the hospital for more than ten years.

Mr Rayner, 48, who started work as an instrument technician at the hospital in November last year, said: “Because we have such a large family and my wife starts studying for her master’s degree next year, we are not often able to spend much quality time together at home.

“We often catch up for a coffee together at work at lunchtime, which is also something I really enjoy doing with Sam, Adam and Ashlee.”

Mrs Rayner said: “In any 24-hour period, you would find a Rayner in the hospital.

“Ashlee and I do get people looking from one to the other and you can see them wondering whether we are related. It’s a bit disconcerting when she calls me Maria instead of mum at work.”

Sam Rayner, who lives in Rowhedge with his two children, said: “We do get jokes about the Rayner clan taking over the hospital.

“It’s nice to see one another in the corridors and say hello.”

Martyn’s mother, Joan Rayner, 75, mother-in-law Pam Andrews and father-in-law, Colin, 78, also used to be hospital workers in Colchester.

Joan worked on the switchboard of St Mary’s Hospital, Colchester, which closed in 1993.

Colin was maintenance foreman at Turner Village Hospital and was based in the Old Boilerhouse, which is where Martyn now works.

Pam worked at the former Woodlands Centre, in Turner Road, Colchester, part of the old Turner Village Hospital, mentoring clients on a day release scheme.