AN engineering supervisor at Daniel Thwaites Brewery is saying adieu and swapping beer for a drop of the hard stuff.

Alan Brown, 57, is raising his glass to early retirement and heading off for a new life in the Cognac region of France.

He has decided to start a new life abroad after 27 years in the brewery's engineering department.

Alan and his wife, Anne, plan to spend time renovating their newly-purchased French property and farewell gifts from colleagues at Thwaites included some useful tools.

He said: "I am overwhelmed by the send off I have been given. It's a strange situation for me as not only am I leaving the brewery after such a long time, I am also leaving the country.

"But we have always fancied living abroad and if we don't do it now we never will."

Also taking early retirement from Thwaites after lengthy service is Jack Hanna, 63, of Blackburn, who has spent 23 years working as an operator within the brewery's packaging department.