A SEVENTY-five-year-old healthcare assistant is celebrating the ultimate long service milestone this month having worked for the NHS for half a century – and the thought of retirement is far from her mind!

Francies Grundy, from Atherton, says she has always enjoyed her job and is proud to have been a part of the NHS for the past 50 years.

Touching her heart, she said: “I just love what I do and I will keep doing it for as long as this keeps going. I am not finishing yet.

"I have never once moaned about coming to work.”

Francies joined the NHS on September 18, 1966, after accepting a post at Hulton Hospital in Bolton.

She worked there until it was demolished in 2003 and has since been based at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Francies said: “I loved working at Hulton Hospital so much – I have still got a piece of slate from the old hospital in my garden as a memento."

Born to a family of nine children in County Down, Ireland, Frances helped to look after her siblings and an elderly neighbour when she was growing up.

After leaving school and getting a job in the sewing industry, she moved to Leigh, where she met her husband Keith.

Their son Philip was born before she embarked on her lengthy healthcare career.