Gorton Great Grandmother Nora has no intention of retiring after 45 years working at the Waggon & Horses

But the great-grandmother, who is thought to be one of Britain`s oldest pub cleaners, has no intention of hanging up her duster after 45 years at the Waggon & Horses in Gorton, Manchester.

She has overseen a lot of change in her time at the Joseph Holt-owned pub, outliving more than SIXTEEN different landladies and landlords.

And remarkably, Nora has never once called in sick in over four decades of devoted service to the pub.

Speaking to I Love Manchester, she even said she was enjoying her job ‘more than ever’, ensuring the pub’s brass fixtures were spick and span.

She said: “My friends and family know better than to ask when I might give up work.

“But what do I want to retire for?

“To stay at home and look at the four walls?

“I love work so much that I’m always early and raring to go. I remember when I turned 60 is very worried that I`d have to retire because of my age. But the landlord at the time said there was no reason why I should if I didn’t want to.

“I’ve kept on going ever since and never asked the question again.”

Nora is the longest-serving employee of Joseph Holt, who own 127 pubs across the North West and Greater Manchester.

A widow with two children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren Nora says the pub has played a key role in other areas of her life too.

She celebrated both her engagement and wedding to her late husband, Ernest, with parties at the Waggon & Horses.

In fact, in recognition of her long-time connection to the Waggon & Horses, a photograph of Ernst, who worked on the railways, hangs in the pub.

Nora admits to saying good morning to him each morning.

Ernst died 11 years ago and would have been 84.

Nora began working at The Waggon & Horses when her two children, Paul 53, and Maria, 51, were at school. Though of course, her duties have changed since then.

She continued: “I remember when there were coal fires in each room and one of my jobs was to clean the ashes out of the fireplaces and then prepare the fires to be lit again.”

Landlady of the Waggon &Horses, Julie Fazakerley said she got to know Nora when she took over the pub last October.

“Nora is who convinced me to take on this pub rather than others I was offered.

“I’m a strong believer in family values and continuity. When I saw that the Waggon & Horses had an 81-year-old cleaner who had no intention of retiring it made the job all the more attractive.”

The Joseph Holt brewery was founded 173 years ago and has been in the same family for six generations.

Richard Kershaw, Chief Executive of the Joseph Holt, and a fifth-generation member of the family, said the company was deeply appreciative of Nora’s loyal, commitment, and long years of service.

He said: “These qualities are integral not just to the Waggon & Horses but to the Joseph Holt brewery. Nora embodies all this. People are at the heart of what we do, and it makes me very proud that we have staff who have worked for the company for so long. “

Meanwhile, Nora prepares for another day keeping the pub spick and span. She laughs:

“I love every minute of this job. Why on earth would I ever want to give it up?”