A DEDICATED worker who met his wife while working in the Woolworths store in High Wycombe will retire next month after more than 30 years in the job.

Michael "Mick" Carol, 55, joined the company in 1968 and has been based in High Wycombe since the early Seventies.

His wife Andrea, 61, had also been working at the shop in the High Street from the 60s until her retirement last May, and the couple have been happily married for 31 years.

"She was working in the office and I was already in management by then, and we just kept running into each other and that's how we started going about together."

Mick, pictured, who is now assistant manager, said: "I've really enjoyed it - you don't stick around at something as long as this unless you do.

"I'm originally from the Isle of Wight. I've worked at several stores, but I've been based mostly around here.

"There have been good and bad times, like everything else. It's the people I've enjoyed really, you've got to enjoy dealing with the customers, or there's no point doing the job.

"There have been innumerable changes since I started, but you don't get time for nostalgia, you've got to move on. There's no point in harping on about it.

"When I retire we just want to just chill out for a bit. I want to watch some rugby, travel about watching the Wasps, do some bird watching. I'm hoping to do some volunteering work for the RSPB.

"And I want to play some golf. We'll do a bit of travelling, relax and just try to enjoy it like everyone else."

Mick said he was sure something would be arranged for his retirement bash at the end of May, but nothing had been finalised yet.