A double birthday celebration was laid on by Stagecoach North East for two engineers from the operator’s Stockton bus depot who celebrated turning 65 in the same week.
Fitter and charge hand Derek Lloyd, from Normanby in Middlesbrough, and Ian Noble, a fitter from Trimdon Village in County Durham, were surprised when they became the star guests at a lunchtime spread in the depot where they celebrated their milestone birthdays with friends and colleagues. A special treat was a decorated cake featuring a bus in icing.
Derek has been a fitter for 41 years and has just taken semi-retirement with a part-time position at the depot.
Ian, who has worked at Stagecoach for 20 years, including 13 years in the Darlington depot, says: “It was a memorable day and a lovely way to enjoy my 65th birthday, especially celebrating it with Derek.”