AN Aiskew man will not be severing all his links with his extended "family" when he retires next week from an elderly people's home in Bedale.

Mr Peter Jones can count himself as almost an original member of staff at Benkhill Lodge, where one of the 38 residents celebrated her 100th birthday earlier this year.

The North Yorkshire County Council home was opened in Benkhill Drive in 1975 and Mr Jones began working there as a care assistant two years later, just in time to see staff taking part in celebrations for the Queen's silver jubilee, when Mrs Bessie Crompton was officer in charge.

Since then, in addition to his main caring role, Mr Jones has voluntarily driven the Benkhill Lodge minibus on residents' outings, helped to organise the summer fair and opened the bar at the home once a week.

Mr Jones, who will be 65 on Thursday, originally worked in his parents' hotel in London. The family then retired to Harmby, near Leyburn, where his mother died suddenly.

After caring for his father for 12 months until he died, Mr Jones moved from Harmby to Aiskew and began working at Benkhill Lodge, which now has about 30 staff.

He said: "In the early days I used to look after the men and the girls looked after the women, but now we all look after everyone. It can be hard work, depending on the condition, weight and size of the resident.

"It is very hard to accept when someone you have been looking after dies because they become part of you. Two have just died after being here for 20 years. But life goes on because you get new residents coming in."

One of Mr Jones's other voluntary duties was to look after the Benkhill Lodge dog, Trio, acquired in 1983 as a therapeutic companion for residents.

Trio spent most days at Benkhill Lodge, but Mr Jones took her home with him at night and could often be seen walking her through Aiskew until she died at the age of 16. He said: "Residents really loved her."

Mr Jones has also accompanied residents on holidays to places like Blackpool, Bridlington, Morecambe and the Lake District and recalled how Benkhill Lodge had brightened up their lives in other ways.

"When the Queen had her silver jubilee, the home was decorated and we have always made a very big thing of Christmas and the popular summer fair."

After he retires from his shift work as a care assistant Mr Jones will continue to drive the minibus, run the Benkhill Lodge shop and open the bar, for which a special licence was obtained several years ago from local magistrates.

He said: "I will remember all the residents. I have really enjoyed looking after them, their likes and dislikes. They are all individuals to me.