AFTER 33 years behind the counter, Jean Boddy has closed her till for the last time and retired from the job she loved. Jean, 60, worked at Barclays Bank in Royston, where she had been since 1969. She said: It s just the right time to go, but I have lo

AFTER 33 years behind the counter, Jean Boddy has closed her till for the last time and retired from the job she loved.

Jean, 60, worked at Barclays Bank in Royston, where she had been since 1969.

She said: "It's just the right time to go, but I have loved every minute of it.

"I do have mixed feelings about leaving, but then I just think about all the time I'm going to have to myself."

Her retirement means that she can now spend more time on her favourite pas time - playing golf at Bassingbourn Barracks.

She said: "I have a handicap of 36 which is the highest a woman can get, but now I've got more time to play I'm hoping to improve.

"It's a relaxing game that is very social. I'm looking forward to getting out on the greens more."

Jean also said that she would be spending more of her time at her Spanish apartment on the Costa Blanca, gardening and doing some voluntary work.

Adeline Harris, who has worked with Jean for the past 21 years, said: "Jean is the envy of the office and I'm sure she's going to love her retirement.

"She will be missed greatly. We have become great friends over the years and I have to say she's been a pleasure to work with."

Jean, who lives in Royston, said: "I'll miss the camaraderie of the staff. They've been a big part of my life and we've had some very good times.

"It has been hard work, but I've had lots of fun and even more laughs."

Chris Murphy, manager of the Royston branch, said: "I don't know if we can ever replace her. She's certainly going to leave a huge void at our tills."

Jean joined Barclays in 1962 straight from school. She started working in the Hornsey Road branch in north London, before moving to the Highbury branch in 1964.

Five years later she moved to the Royston branch, where she has worked ever since, although she did leave between 1975-86 to have her four children.

Her retirement will also give her the opportunity to spend more time with her family and Jean said she hoped to have grandchildren in the not too distant future.

She said: "My son and three daughters are all engaged, so I've got a lot of weddings on the horizon.

"I just hope that I don't have to come back to work in order to pay for them all.