A MANAGER has been presented with a long service award after clocking up 40 years in the funeral business.

Alan Williamson began his career in 1972 working at a funeral home in Sherburn Hill, near Durham City and went on to become a funeral director in Horden.

Several promotions followed and he is now regional manager for The Co-operative Funeralcare, in charge of 29 branches across Cumbria, County Durham and Tyne and Wear and ultimately responsible for 3,400 funerals a year.

He said: "I feel incredibly lucky to have enjoyed every aspect of my job throughout the 40 years I have worked in the funeral profession, whether it was helping with funeral arrangements when I first started or looking after the entire region as I do now.

"I have worked with some wonderful colleagues and met some fantastic people, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work for The Co-operative Funeralcare for many years to come."