When Ron Sambridge stopped eating dairy to help his asthma, it led to a whole new healthy lifestyle.

Forty years later, he has still cut out milk, eggs and cheese from his diet but is also a strict vegan and is celebrating 30 years of running the Natural Way health store in Braintree.

Granddad Mr Sambridge, 64, from Bishops Stortford, took over the Braintree Whole Foods store in New Street three decades ago, which is now moving to the High Street run by his son Richard, 34.

He said: “I had asthma ever since I was a child, I was poor at sports and I couldn’t run - I was always the last one over the line at cross country.

“It wasn’t until I was about 25 that somebody recommended to me that I cut out dairy products."

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.