A FORMER nurse who swapped careers to become an ambulance worker has retired due to ill health after 31 years of caring for people.

Ambulance technician Norman Jackson, 61, grew up as a miner's son in Harwood and then Middleton-in-Teesdale, before training as a nurse at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

While he was there, he met his wife, Barbara, also a nurse. The couple also worked together at the Richardson Hospital, Barnard Castle, before Mr Jackson moved to the former St Anne's Hospital, Stockton.

In 1974, he joined the Teesside Ambulance Service, working at Thornaby then Stockton, until his retirement. He was awarded the Queen's Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Mr Jackson said: "Career-wise, you could say I've followed the river from Teesdale to Teesside. In my early days on the ambulances, life wasn't quite such a rush.

"We used to deal with outpatients as well as emergencies. Often, when taking outpatients from their appointments, if I had time I'd stop at a post office for them to collect their pensions, then get them home, put their fire on and make them a cup of tea.

"The job suited me down to the ground. I loved it. And my former nursing experience proved invaluable."

Mr Jackson and his wife, a ward sister at the Carter Bequest Hospital, Middlesbrough, now live in Thornaby.