A TRIO of staff are celebrating a combined 30 years of service in retail.

Manager Debbie Wood, sales consultant Susan Jobson and supervisor Clair Marsh were have all worked for national footwear retailer Charles Clinkard for 10 years in the Darlington and Middlesbrough stores.

Charles Clinkard, Managing Director of the company said it was a "pleasure" to celebrate milestone achievements.

“It is a proven fact that treating staff with respect and providing a great place to work leads to better staff retention – and I’m not sure you can get better than this," he said.

“With 30 years between them it is a great achievement."

Although he recognises that the retail industry has changed a lot in the past 30 years, especially with the rise in online shopping, he believes Charles Clinkard will continue to remain popular with customers due to the personal touch of in-person service.

Clair said she'd remained loyal to the company thanks to the friendly atmosphere and flexibility of hours.

"Working for Charles Clinkard feels like being part of a big family. My colleagues are friendly and it’s a great team to be part of," she said.