'Oldest waitress' Violet Garratty set to retire aged 92

Violet Garratty, 92, is celebrating retiring from her job at Kenwood Hall with a party

A woman thought to be Britain's oldest waitress is set to retire aged 92.

Violet Garratty, from Sheffield, has been working at the city's Kenwood Hall Hotel for the past 32 years, but has been forced to stop due to injury.

Her last day on Friday will be marked with a party for family, friends and colleagues.

Asked how she felt about retiring Mrs Garratty told BBC Radio Sheffield: "Not very good really, because I've enjoyed my job."

Originally from Lincolnshire, Mrs Garratty moved to Sheffield aged eight and went on to work in a variety of roles before taking a job as a cleaner at the Crucible theatre.

During her time at the venue, best known for hosting the World Snooker Championships, she met a raft of big names from the sport, including Jimmy White, Steve Davis and Alex Higgins, who she described as "a right laugh".

After retiring from the theatre aged 60 she said she quickly became bored, so when a friend told her about the waitressing work at Kenwood Hall she jumped at the chance.

Ms Garratty started working at Kenwood Hall, formerly a Marriott hotel, just weeks after retiring from her job as a cleaner

She said many of the famous faces she had met at the Crucible would stay at the hotel and recognised her from her previous role.

"They were wonderful," she said.

"Ken Doherty even recognised me once in a Marks & Spencer cafe and came up and gave me a hug."

While working at the hotel she also met Sir Alan Sugar, and remembers one morning as she cleared away his breakfast plates asking if he would like anything else, when he said 'no' she quickly shot back 'Well therefore you are fired'.

"He nearly fell off his chair in shock," she said.

One of her famous guests was jockey Willie Carson, 81.

She said that following her retirement she hoped to see more of her family, including her 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

"I've got a very good family who take me out for meals, I go to my social club three times a week and I also do line dancing," she said.

"And being a mum, that's so important to me."

Her son Shaun said: "We call her the family shepherdess. It's now our turn to take care of her."