A WOMAN who has only been off work sick once retires next week after more than four decades.

Elsie English, 64, has worked as a typist at Hartlepool police station for 46 years. She began when the station was part of County Durham and has worked for 17 district commanders.

In 1995 Miss English, from Peterlee, County Durham, was awarded an MBE.

She said: "If you love the job, why change it? I have had many good times and lots of fond memories, and will be sad to go.

"I don't really want to retire, but it is time to. Most of all, I will miss the friendly atmosphere at the station. It is like one big, happy family."

Over the years, she has seen many changes at the station.

She said: "When I first started, policemen carried truncheons and handcuffs, now you see them in shirt sleeves and body armour, with radios. It is quite different.

"I was also given a huge typewriter on my first day, but am now used to using a state-of-the-art word processor. It is much easier."

Before she began at the station, Miss English worked as a school clerk, in Horden, and at the Durham Educational Office, in Durham.

She retires on Friday next week and hopes to spend more time in her garden, driving and visiting the Lake District. She is also looking forward to not having to get up early on winter mornings.

Miss English is leaving a hard job for anyone to follow.

She said: "It is what you put into a job as to what you get out of it and how much satisfaction you receive. Really, you have to work hard."