After 66 years, butcher Pat is reluctantly retiring at 85

BRITAIN'S longest-serving butcher is hanging up her cleaver for good today at the age of 85.

- Paul Vass

Pat Jenkins has been selling prime cuts to the local community for 66 years - during which time she has seen off decimalisation and the mad cow disease crisis.

But the growing trend of veganism and vegetarianism, coupled with the demise of local high streets, have caused her profits to plunge by a third over the past decade.

And with the 10-year lease on her shop up for renewal she has reluctantly decided to call it a day.

Pat said: "I never would have thought that when I first started working here all those years ago I would still be doing it well into my 80s. I have never thought about retiring and I don't want to retire just yet but the timing makes sense. I don't think I can still do it at 95.

"I will be bored out of my head and I am already looking at situations vacant to see if there is something else I can do."