When Bill Pitman took early retirement in the 90s little did he know that he was about to embark on another career and work for a further 23 years.

Massage and sports therapist Bill, 75, of Branthwaite, has finally decided to retire - properly this time!

He was a welding inspector at Sellafield and took early retirement in 1993. "I had already trained as a masseur and was planning on doing it part-time, as a hobby. But the reality is I've been doing it full-time ever since," said Bill.

He teamed up with his wife, Shirley, and the couple set up a mobile massage service, going to residential homes and visiting housebound elderly people.

"In the first year we covered 35,000 miles in Cumbria as we built the business up," said Shirley.

"We wanted to help elderly people who could not get out. We then discovered carers were picking up people and hurting their backs, so they needed help. Then they would put us in touch with a relative who had hurt themselves playing rugby, and so it went on."

Bill has also worked with rugby clubs.

Nine years ago he started working out of the North Lakes Clinic, on Main Street, Cockermouth, while also continuing his mobile service. Shirley worked part-time at the clinic, as a receptionist, and also trained in allergy testing and nutrition.

The clinic is owned by their daughter, Mandy Johnston, a podiatrist.

"I have really enjoyed the job. I have met so many different people with different ailments and really enjoy helping them all," said Bill.

"But physically it's quite demanding. We also want to have time to travel and see our grandchildren."

The couple have four children and seven grandchildren, spread as far away as Canada and America.

Bill was meant to retire at Christmas but decided to stay on after the floods as some of his clients had been affected and he was keen to support them. He offered cut-price massages to people affected by the floods.

"We wanted to help and give a little back," said Bill.