A Swindon family business is celebrating half a century of keeping the town’s drivers on the roads.

Anthony Wooster - known as the first used car salesman in Wiltshire - took over an old Texaco garage to set up The Lower Stratton Service Station on Ermin Street in August 1974.

In its early days, the service station's staff, including Tony's wife Kath, crowded around customers' cars to top up the petrol tanks, clean windscreens, and carry out any other services on the motor before it set off again.

The spot used to be a checkpoint for the National Motorcycle Rally and employed many of the youngsters who lived in the village of Stratton St Margaret before it became part of Swindon.

Tony and Kath's children Keith and Gary now manage the place with their partners Sandra and Karen.

Kath’s sister worked as the garage’s receptionist for 19 years after a nearby bakery closed.

Later, employee Ian Moore worked for them as a young apprentice after joining the team straight from school in 1996 then left to work elsewhere in 1998 before returning to the fold in 2014.

Gary Wooster has been part of the garage's workforce from day one and is now seeing the third generation of the Wooster family join it.

He said: “It’s quite a good achievement, who’d have thought it?

“This used to be the main road between North and South Swindon and we were here 24/7, 365 days a week from 6.30am to 10.30pm. It was hard work but a lot of local businesses had fuel accounts with us.

“We even worked all the way through Covid, staying open as normal, and a lot of people were thankful for that.

"We did a lot for doctors and nurses, and picked up a lot of new customers because we kept going while others were shut, it was one of our busiest-ever times.

“Things have changed so much over the years, it’s unrecognisable now. I’ve been doing the MOTs and admin while the boys keep buying more and more equipment.

"We're still busy - we're booked up past the end of August. People keep telling us we can't pack it in yet because then they'd have nowhere to go."

Keith started work in the family business in January 1984 and is the current owner of the service station.

He said: “Our parents lived on the other side of the bridge, many of the kids in the village worked here at some point.

"Not many people in Wiltshire do MOTs for three-wheelers so we used to work on three Robin Reliants a week, along with certain motorcycles and trikes.

"People bring their cars in from London, Bristol and Fairford because they like our service. We get a few exotic cars, restored Ferraris, E-Type Jaguars, and vintage motorcycles now and again.

"We're trusted, honest and fair, never knowingly overcharge, and are not here to make a quick buck and go, so people know we will look after them when they need it and then they recommend us to others. 

"People can have a laugh with us here, it's a nice atmosphere."

The business sponsored the A team at Stratton Football Club and the Swindon Speedway riders for many years.

To mark their 50th anniversary, the staff have invited longstanding customers who have been with them for generations to pop in next week (from July 29) to enjoy drinks, cakes and decorations.

As for the future, Gary added: "I want to keep going as long as I can, as long as I'm fit and well enough to."