'I've spent 52 years working in a renowned Shrewsbury shop - and it's still at the cutting edge of town'

Bryan Machin started his long career with haberdashers Watson & Thornton in 1972 when he was just 13 years old, working as a Saturday boy at the market in Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.

Now after 52 years, he's finally put down the scissors and stepped back from the only job he has ever known.

We caught up with the soon-to-be 66-year-old on his final day at the TARDIS-like shop on Mardol in Shrewsbury to see him off.

"I was a Saturday boy at the market at Ellesmere Port to begin with," he explained. "My boss, Colin Thornton, lived next door to my mum and dad when he first got married.

"Every morning at 7 o'clock we were off to Ellesmere port. We'd travel to Wellington, we came down here on a Wednesday to Shrewsbury and Oswestry as well."

On the visits to Shrewsbury Market, Bryan and his boss would nip into Hollyoaks, a newsagents and fishing tackle shop on Mardol, to pick up the newspaper and wait for the markets to open.

Later, Mr Thornton would buy the store and move the business - and eventually Bryan - to Shrewsbury.

He's been at the Shrewsbury shop for around 40 years after finally making the move to Castlefields from Congleton in Cheshire in 1984. Over the years he's hundreds of customers come through the door.

Helping Shrewsbury's shoppers has been what's kept him around for over half a decade: "I actually always wanted to be a teacher," he said. "But I ended up marrying one!

"It's been one of the best things about the job, meeting so many people. Over the years people have grown up and they've come, they've left Shrewsbury, they've come back and they say: 'Oh, are you still here?'

"We've always prided ourselves on customer service actually over the years. It does make a big difference, it does make a big difference and people appreciate it."

Having become such a part of the furniture, Bryan said many customers had assumed the shop was closing when he said he would be leaving.

"They were very worried! But don't worry, the shop's still going to be here - it's expanding all the time."

The store is now in the hands of Mr Thornton's daughter, who Bryan says has the place running "tickety-boo".

Being a haberdasher wasn't always Bryan's career goal, he told us. "I actually always wanted to be a teacher," he said. "But I ended up marrying one!"

Saying goodbye to customers he said: "I'd like to thank them for putting up with me, I hope to see them around."