Theatres' Gill Callaghan, our last permanent contracted night-staffer,  has retired after an amazing 42-year NHS career - 32 of them on the night shift!

It's a double celebration as last night  she also received her 40 years' service award  - two years late due to her early records going missing. 

Gill started in the HRI laundry as a student and worked during the searing summer of 1976 when it was so hot  everyone was given salt tablets as they were all sweating so much in there.

After nurse training in 1977 she started in theatres in 1979 and has been there ever since. In 1985 she started on nights and will have clocked up 32 years on nights on May 1.In 2000 she completed a conversion course at Bradford Uni and finished a degree.

Gill, said: " I have loved all my job - everything about it. There are a few of us right now  at similar age leaving theatres and it's the end of an era. I had just started on a ward when Maxine Cooper told me about theatres as she had just got a job there. When I went on placement I was scrubbed up quickly and I knew it was my cup of tea."

She now plans time ahead with daughters Faye and Lauren and her  four grandchildren Paige, Tiyler, Amelia and Brodie aged two to nine. A holiday to Disneyland Florida is first on the cards.

And she reckons husband Tony  will face the biggest change. " For the first time in 32 years he is going to find me in bed every night.  He is going to have a real shock!."