Work? It's just the job, says Cyril, 80

Despite celebrating his 80th birthday, on Monday, he is still going strong and working three days a week at B&Q, Newhaven, as a horticultural advisor, helping customers with their gardening conundrums.

Cyril, who lives in Piddinghoe Avenue with his wife Peggy, said: 'I have retired two or three times for a short time but then decided to carry on working and go back because I enjoy it so much. I just love what I do.'

He was also concerned he would loose some of his in-depth gardening knowhow if he stopped.

'You lose so much knowledge if you stop working and growing the plants,' he said.

Cyril, who worked as head gardener at Lady Cross and Blatchington Court schools, Seaford, and as nursery charge hand at Plumpton College, was also the phone-in garden expert on BBC local radio for 18 years.

He said: 'Some of the listeners still come in and see me at work.'

He is also a keen collector of antique radios and a former Peacehaven branch chairman of the East Sussex Association for the Disabled. He has a daughter Carrie and sons, Alan and Paul.

No retirement plans are on the horizon. Cyril said: 'B&Q is a very happy place to work and I enjoy meeting and helping lots of people.'