Pictured is Bob Cooke cutting his cake surrounded by staff past and present to mark his retirement from Mole Avon Country Stores in Okehampton after 35 years. Bob was presented with a gift of framed local views taken by Okehampton-based landscape photographer Anna Curnow. Store manager Maria Cooper organised the surprise party for Bob at the Okehampton store on Friday afternoon last week (July 12). ‘Several old customers and members of staff came back to see him as a surprise which I organised,’ she said. ‘We gave him pictures by Anna Curnow of Dartmoor and Lydford a print of Widgery Tor and one looking towards Lydford, as he was born in Lydford.’ Maria, who has herself worked at the store for 38 years, added: ‘I remember when Bob joined. He is a really nice bloke. ‘He’s very popular with the customers and over the years he has made good friends and he’s very popular with the staff. He’s a great help to me and all the staff here and he’ll be greatly missed.’

Picture by James Bird