Gordon Harris has seen a lot of changes in the company he started working at aged 15.

The 72-year-old began on three pounds, 12 shillings and thrupence a week at Torin-Safin in 1966, the year England won the World Cup.

He worked his way up in the Swindon-based fan manufacturing business from his first role as apprentice toolmaker.

He said: “When I first joined, I imagine there were like 60 people there at the most. Everybody knew you, you knew everybody.

“It was a little family sort of thing.”

Gordon loved the Christmas parties at the South Marston Country Club where everything was paid for by the company.

He worked hard, attending evening classes from six till 10 pm three nights a week after work for 10 years, while playing football for Minety FC.

By the age of 25 he was running the tool room and 10 toolmakers, and at 30 he ran ‘about half the factory’.

He said: “I was tempted to leave a few times but what was the point of going somewhere else when they gave me the opportunity to stay in the company?”

As he got older he moved to the administrative planning side of the company where he has stayed until today.

“With all the heavy lifting, the stress and strain, I would never have achieved 57 years if I had stayed there," he said.

“It's a challenging experience because you always have the top manager wanting it cheaper and you have got to explain to management, cheap is not always the best.”

The five decades at the company has been a huge part of his life.

He said: “It's done everything for me really. I bought the house I have today by working there. Got my own car and I've had quite a good financial living over the past 50 years.”

It is going to take some time for him to get used to not working.

Gordon said: “I'm actually beginning to enjoy not getting up in the morning. 

“The other morning I woke up and thought, ‘oh, I'm going to be late for work. Oh, I haven't got to go to work, have I?’”

“I go in and see the people every now and then. I miss them. 

“I still phone them up and talk to some of them. I know I can always go in and talk to them.”

Gordon retires from Torin-Safin on April 27. He plans to give back to the community by becoming a carer.