Woman retires after 50 years in job at nursery

Sheila Dwyer said it was "emotional" graduating with her class

A woman has retired after 50 years of working in a job at a nursery that she was once told she could not get because she did not have the right grades.

Sheila Dwyer started working at Nazareth House Day Nursery in Lancaster in 1975 and said "she just knew she didn't want to work in a shop or a factory".

The 66-year-old said it was a "big decision" to retire but knew "it was time for me to go". She celebrated her retirement with a graduation ceremony alongside her class.

Nazareth Care, who run the nursery, thanked Sheila for her dedicated service and said she would be "dearly missed" by staff and children.

The children said they liked Ms Dwyer because she could be 'so silly'

Ms Dwyer started working in childcare aged 16 despite being told by school teachers that her grades were not good enough to be a nursery teacher.

"When I was at school they let me go out to work at a play group, but my grades were poor, and they did say I probably wouldn't be able to achieve my goal of being a nursey nurse," she said.

But after five decades, she said she had "definitely" proved them wrong.

Sheila Dwyer started working in childcare aged just 16

"It's emotional - I feel like it is my birthday and Christmas. I am just, happy-sad," she said.

"It was a big decision for me to make, but I knew it was time for me to go, especially when I get down on the floor and I am thinking 'what can I pull myself up with?'"

Children at the nursey told BBC Radio Lancashire they enjoyed building things with Ms Dwyer and being "silly" with her.

The 66-year-old said she is starting retired life with a holiday to Morocco.