Grafter looks back at 50 years in the same job

Charlie Nicholson and his wife Alison said he would be "bored" if he retired

A grafter who has spent 50 years working for the same company has said he is "proud as punch" of reaching the milestone.

Charlie Nicholson started working for The Expanded Metal Company in Hartlepool when he was 16 and is now an instructor.

He said he worked there for so long because it was "over the road", and that he had "thought of going into the navy, but then thought, 'I can't swim'."

Mr Nicholson plans to retire late next year, but his wife Alison said he would be "bored" and miss the camaraderie with his workmates.

Mr Nicholson told BBC Radio Tees he had just finished his exams and was waiting for his six-week holiday when the job offer landed on his lap.

"The teacher came in and said, 'Expanded Metal want two people to come and operate a forklift', so me and my mate put our hands up, and the next day we were down there," he said, adding: "Simple as that."

'Mentality'

He started in the warehouse because workers had to be 18 years old to work with the machines.

When asked why he has spent his whole working career in one place he said it was his "mentality".

"I'm happy where I work, I made a load of new friends, and I just live over the road."

Mr Nicholson said he had seen plenty of changes over the years with management and machinery.

He now works as an instructor at the company.

"I teach young lads my job for when I do eventually pack it in."

Mrs Nicholson, from South Shields, said the couple had not spoken about what it would be like when he retired.

She said: "If he was at home, he would get bored.

"I just know for a fact he might think in the first two weeks, 'this is great', but after two months he'd be like: 'I'm bored, have you got a job going at where you work?'"

'Proud as punch'

The Expanded Metal Company presented Mr Nicholson with a plaque to commemorate 50 years "of dedicated service from 1974 to 2024".

"The best part was that I got £1,000. That felt better," he laughed.

His company bosses gave him a speech in his workplace's canteen.

"I feel proud as punch, really," Mr Nicholson said.

Mrs Nicholson added: "His sons are really proud as well."