A KEIGHLEY man who has completed 25 years at the same local manufacturing firm has received a long service award.

Alex Houston has been at Gesipa, in Dalton Lane, for 25 years.

He received his award together with a cheque from managing director Diana Scholefield last Wednesday afternoon. (August 10)

Mr Houston, 63, who lives in Lawkholme previously worked at Ondura and then at Dean Smith and Grace's Keighley foundry.

He said he began working at Gesipa only a week after being made redundant from his last job. He works in the department responsible for cleaning and de-greasing products.

"I was in the assembly department for a while but I enjoy what I do now, it keeps me busy," he said.

"It's very rare that I'm off work, I haven't had a day off sick for quite a long time.

"It feels good to have been here 25 years, and I've seen a lot of changes. The company has been going from strength to strength and we're getting more machinery and more sales."

Mr Houston, who was brought up in Bradford but has lived in Keighley for 39 years, has family connections to Gesipa – his two grandchildren work at the firm during their school holidays.