AN AWARD-WINNING shop assistant is celebrating 50 years working at the same store.

Christine Parker, who is nearly 80, still enjoys working at the shop on Tredgold Avenue in Bramhope.

The premises was a newsagent and sweet shop when she first started but in recent years has become the village general store. It is now The Yorkshire Corner and has just opened as a Post Office.

Christine took the job because she didn’t want to sit at home alone as a housewife and wanted to talk to people during the day. Since then she has worked for seven different owners and has seen many changes. She plans to go on working as long as her health allows it.

Banners were put up in the shop to mark the anniversary and Christine received many cards from customers.

In 2010 her commitment was recognised in a national competition when she won the title of convenience store sales assistant of the year in the independent sector and was runner-up in the final judging of the sector winners.

She was put forward for the competition by the then shop owner, Talya Sharon, and it was the strength of support from customers which helped her to win the award, as well as £500 and a trip to London.

Bramhope parish councillor John Howard, who spoke to Christine, said: "She says she loves the job: the shop is a lovely place to work, Bramhope is a beautiful village and there are so many friendly customers who she has got to know over the years. Customers who were children buying sweets or teenagers buying magazines when she first started are now bringing in their grandchildren to buy sweets and comics.

"When she first started work the shop was a newsagents that also sold toys and sweets. The bulk of the trade was newspapers and no fewer than 36 newspaper boys and girls were employed for daily deliveries."

He added: "When Christine began work the tills were simple and most of the book keeping was done in hand written ledgers. Almost all sales were paid for in cash. Over the years computers and electronics have brought huge changes bringing us to today with bar codes and payment by tapping a bank card.

"The village has also changed. When she first started work there was no street lighting along Leeds Road – it was introduced the same year she began work – 1972."