Asda Pudsey's Pat is one of the UK's oldest supermarket workers

Asda Pudsey’s Pat Walmsley began work as a tailor making raincoats and dresses.

But she then started working on the deli counter at the old Pudsey store in 1972 after she heard about the role from one of the butchers when shopping in the supermarket.

Pat then moved across to the new store based at Owlcotes Shopping Centre in 1997, where she now works on the bakery.

She said: “I love the people and the team at Asda Pudsey - and you get to know the customers by sight.

“I’ve been saying I’ll retire for the last ten years but I’m still here!

“I can’t believe how quickly the last 45 years have flown by and it’s wonderful to see that we’re all one big Asda family.”

Fellow colleagues at the Pudsey store were keen to help Pat celebrate her double milestone so surprised the mother-of-two with separate cakes to mark the two events celebrated on her special day.

Bakery section leader Linda Tiffany said: “Everybody loves Pat. She’s well liked and she’s very reliable - part of the team.”

Pat has seen a lot of changes during her time at Asda, including her uniform, which was pale blue when she started.

Mark Dimbleby, Asda Pudsey manager, said: “Pat’s a fantastic colleague, she’s got the energy of a 20-year-old and is always very popular with staff and customers. We’re proud of all our colleagues at Asda Pudsey and we’re especially proud of Pat for all her hard work over the years.”

Founded in the 1960s, Asda, which has its headquarters in Leeds, is one of Britain’s biggest supermarket retailers.