When Mollie Joseph starting working at Lower Penallt Farm, Kings Caple, at the age of 25, little could she have suspected that she would still be working at the farm nearly 60 years later.

However Mollie, now a sprightly 83 year old, was presented with a special award at the Three Counties Show on Friday, June 18th to mark the 58 years she has worked in agriculture on the same farm.

When Mollie began she worked for the father of the current owner, Elwyn Brook.

Elwyn, his wife, Jill and sons Lewis and Marcus were at the show, alongside Mollie's son, Ian Hodges, and his partner, Valerie Door, to see Mollie presented with her award by the President of the Three Counties Show, James Hervey-Bathurst.

Jill said that they inherited Mollie when they took over the farm and they were so pleased they did.

She added that Mollie had been a 'brilliant' help to her, helping with babysitting and ironing as well as carrying out jobs on the farm. Lewis and Marcus added: "She is one of the family."

In the 1950s when Mollie starting working she mainly helped with the potato harvest, she would leave her two young children in their pram under the shade of a tree while she worked, earning 3d a bag picking potatoes.

Later she worked hoeing beets and mangles as well as grading potatoes but was always ready to turn her hand to anything and put in a hard day's work.