A Skipton man retires today (Friday) after more than 40 years in local government.

Ryan Hodgetts has worked for the past 23 years as an administration assistant for North Yorkshire County Council Highways, based on Skipton's Carleton Road.

He could wave to wife Hilary from his office, which backs onto the playground of Brooklands School where she is a lunchtime supervisor.

Mr Hodgetts says he will miss the happy working environment, but added: "I think local government now is not what it was when I first started my career 43 years ago.

"The changes I have seen over these years just don't encompass what I came to believe local government was about.

"It's about service to the public and I think part of the problem is because we have gone down the road of privatisation. There's a lot of money going into share holders pockets. I personally think that's wrong."

Today also marks the date of his engagement to Hilary - who is also a lollipop lady - and they will celebrate their ruby wedding anniversary on December 29.

Mrs Hodgetts said having her husband at home would take some adjusting to. "I have made sandwiches for 40 years for his lunch and I never want to make another as long as I live," she laughed.