DEDICATED Staff Nurse Wendy Staig has retired from her post at Wirral Hospital NHS Trust after clocking up an amazing 34 years' of service.

Colleagues, friends and patients said a fond farewell to Mrs Staig, of Greenway, Greasby, on her 65th birthday.

But she returned on the Monday - not to work - but to share slices of her retirement cake with the colleagues she describes as her 'second family'.

Mrs Staig began her career in 1948 at the Royal Liverpool Hospital's Heswall site. Two years later she moved to the hospital's Myrtle Street site and then to Birkenhead General Hospital in 1954 until 1956.

She then returned to Myrtle Street as a Night Sister until 1959, before joining Victoria Central Hospital as a part-time Staff Nurse until 1966, when she married Jim and raised sons Robert and Niall.

In 1978 she returned to work at Victoria Central Hospital and moved to Arrowe Park Hospital in 1982, working in the ear, nose and throat department and the haematology clinic, until her retirement.

Mrs Staig said: "I always knew I wanted to be a nurse. It was a very rewarding job to do. I met some wonderful patients and worked with a wonderful group of people. They were like my second family. I'd like to thank them all."

Liz Maclean, the Trust's Patient Services Manager for Operational Management, said: "Mrs Staig has given extremely dedicated and reliable service. She was a very good nurse and very highly thought of. She will be greatly missed."

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