THE Mayoress of Darwen has hung up her hospital uniform after 29 years as an eye nurse.

Ruth Browne, of Greenway Steet, began as an auxiliary nurse in the ophthalmology department of the Blackburn Royal Infirmary after being made redundant from her job at a Darwen engineering company.

The 65-year-old grandmother-of-two has worked in theatres, clinics and in later years specialised in field tests for peripheral vision.

In 2007, she was awarded the prize for Health Assistant of the Year at the hospital.

She worked her last day on Tuesday and marked the occasion with a buffet with colleagues.

She said: “I have loved every minute of being at the hospital – there’s not been a morning where I haven’t wanted to get up and go to work.

“It was very sad to leave because I’ve made such good friends and I love the patients.

“My motto has always been: ‘Treat your patients as you would like your own family to be treated’.

“You’ve got to have a lot of dedication and be a caring person to do that job.”

She added: “I would have worked until I was in my 70s or 80s if I could have done.

"I left that hospital feeling like a very loved person.”

Mrs Browne now hopes to relax and enjoy her retirement with her husband Paul, carrying out mayoral engagements in Darwen until May.