AFTER 65 years working in the horticultural industry, most people would be ready to hang up their trowel for good.

AFTER 65 years working in the horticultural industry, most people would be ready to hang up their trowel for good.

But 77-year-old gardener John Bell said he planned to spend his retirement working on his own garden in Mill Road, Brockley.

He had his last day at Marlows Home and Garden Centre in Bury St Edmunds just before Christmas, having worked at the firm for 15 years, but his gardening days are far from over.

He said: "I shall be out in my own garden most days and I'm certainly not finished with gardening.

"Officially, I'm retiring, but Marlows will continue to give me a shout when they need me and I could be drafted in every now and then when they're busy."

Mr Bell started his gardening career at the age of 12 with a part time job at a nursery in Scotland and worked at various stately homes before moving to Suffolk 40 years ago.

He worked at Notcutts Garden Centre in Woodbridge and Williams and Griffin in Colchester before becoming garden advisor at Marlows in Bury.

He said: "I injured my back and that's what forced me to retire. I'm better now but it made me think I've got to slow down.

"I feel like I could go on working for another 10 years but the body starts to weaken after seventy odd years, especially with these jobs outside.

"It's a hard job but I'm very happy to have worked in the horticultural industry for all these years."