A MAN who spent half a century working for the same Keighley firm has finally called it a day.

John Whitaker completed his last stint at machine tool manufacturing business Dean Smith & Grace last Wednesday (July 9) - the same day as his 65th birthday.

He joined the Pitt Street company as a 15-year-old apprentice after leaving Eastwood School in 1964, and said he never seriously considered working anywhere else.

"It's a tough job, but I've been happy here and I've enjoyed it," he added. "My father worked here for 45 years as a fitter, and my mother was a grinder at this company during the war."

He added that he had been used to working long hours, but was now looking forward to being able to spend more time gardening and decorating.

He spent his first six years at the business as an apprentice, before becoming a turner.

Mr Whitaker, who was born in Keighley and lives off Fell Lane, was given leaving gifts from his bosses and colleagues at a presentation on his last day.

Company works manager, Stuart Shackleton, who was an apprentice at the business under Mr Whitaker's father, Frank, said: "It's a big achievement for John to have been here 50 years. He'll be greatly missed.

"We'll miss the skills he has. Over the years he's been one of our best employees, he's only been off sick for a few days and his timekeeping has been exemplary."

Managing director Carl Griffiths said the industry had changed a lot since Mr Whitaker had first joined, adding that it was now not easy to attract younger people to follow a career in engineering.

"When we came out of school and technical colleges there was an expectation that you'd want to be an engineer, but that seems to have been lost," he said.

"We're lucky here because we've got two good apprentices who have a passion for engineering, and as a company we do try to bring on apprentices.

"But many young people aren't so enthusiastic about this industry - computing, office-based jobs and the arts have become more fashionable."