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Family newsagent owner celebrates 80th birthday

Simon Parkin
BBC Radio Somerset
Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley
BBC News, West of England
Colin Morris Colin Morris holding two blue balloons that say 80 and standing in front of a birthday cake smiling at the cameraColin Morris
Colin Morris began working at GW Hurley Newsagents when he was eight

A man who has worked at a family-run newsagent shop since he was a child has celebrated his 80th birthday.

Colin Morris began working as a paper delivery boy at GW Hurley Newsagents on Burnham-on-Sea High Street when he was eight years old.

He took over the shop, which his grandparents opened in 1919, just over 50 years ago and is the third generation to run the family business.

Mr Morris said he celebrated his birthday by sharing 80 doughnuts with his customers. "I'm getting lots of kisses from all the women in town so I can't complain," he added.

Colin Morris Colin's great aunt standing in front of a sweet shop that was later turned into the newsagents. The image is very old and in sepia tones.Colin Morris
Mr Morris' grandparents opened the newsagents, which had previously been a sweet shop, in 1919

He admitted it was very hard work to keep the business going alongside a changing High Street and shopping habits as more people purchase items online.

But despite turning 80, Mr Morris said he had no plans to retire and would continue to work because "one has to do things to live".

"I'm having a wonderful time," he said.

Google The shopfront on an overcast day. The sign is on blue and white and a few people are walking past or standing nearby.Google
Mr Morris said he would continue to work at the business

Since taking over the business he has got up at 4:30am to open the shop and closed it at 18:00.

He now runs it with the help of his wife Monika.

"I've got two wobbly legs, but since the pandemic we can only do one thing at a time with the doctors, so it's been a bit of a slog to get anything done," he said.

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