WHEN Alan Slaney started work at digger giants JCB 50 years ago little did he know that he would walk out as their longest serving employee.

Alan followed in his father Bertram's footsteps when he joined the firm straight from school in 1960 at the age of 15.

Now he has bowed out having become the company's longest-ever serving employee, beating the previous record of 49 years and two months.

It is the second time the dad-of-three has got his name into the company's record books.

When company founder Joe Bamford, affectionately known as Mr JCB, introduced long service awards in 1980 Alan and Bertram became the first father and son to receive the accolade for 20 years service.

But the great-grandfather from Elm Drive, Cheadle, nearly did not make his personal goal of clocking up 50 years.

When the company was forced to shed jobs because of the recession Alan, now 65, volunteered offered to take voluntary redundancy to save the job of a younger colleague.

But the firm said they could not afford to lose his skills and expertise.

Site engineer Alan, who was part of the site services team responsible for the maintenance of JCB's factories and premises, has held roles from foreman to supervisor to energy management officer.

But he never left the Rocester site, which is a short distance from where he was born.

During his half century of service he has seen the company expand from one base in a former cheese factory in Rocester to 18 global plants.

He originally intended joining his father on the factory floor, but he was poached by a foreman who needed an apprentice electrician.

He said: "When I walked through the doors all those years ago I never thought I would be here for so long.

"Fifty years was my personal goal and it has been quite an achievement.

"When the recession came I offered to go, to save another job in the department. I had come to the end of my working life and I did not have a mortgage.

"Other younger employees were the sole wage earners in their households and I wanted to protect them."

Alan, who married wife Margaret in 1965, added: "I have been very lucky and feel privileged to have worked here and to have known the Bamford family.

"There have been some hilarious times as well as some serious incidents, such as two fires in 1999 and 2002. I feel proud I contributed to keeping the department running."

JCB chief executive Alan Blake led the tributes to Alan at the retirement presentation.

He said: "Alan is one of the unsung heroes of JCB. Roles like his are critical to keeping the business running smoothly and it is people like Alan who have helped lay down the foundations of the successful business we see today."