A pair of school pals who started work on the same day aged 15 will retire together on Christmas Eve having clocked-up a century of service between them.

Joiners Scott Bailey and Lesley Alston, pictured, were among a small group of apprentices taken on by door manufacturer Atkinsons, of Bingley, on December 28, 1952.

Now - having served an impressive 50 years apiece - the pair are ready to clock-out together from the factory in Main Street for the final time.

Today Geoff Atkinson, a director of the long-established family firm, paid tribute to the two men.

He said: "They have been a tremendous pair of steady and reliable workers who have stuck with the firm through thick and thin.

"It would not happen at many firms these days that you would get any employees with 50 years' service - never mind two!"

Mr Alston followed in the footsteps of his mother, father and sister when he started work at Atkinsons. His family had worked at the firm during the Second World War when the building was used as a munitions factory.

"We both wanted to get into the joinery trade, and I suppose it has just been very handy for both of us with being local lads," he said. "Obviously, we have both been happy here because otherwise we would have moved on. It is a family firm and you do get to feel a part of it. I suppose we've been like Godfathers to the business."

Mr Bailey almost split up the partnership when he broke off to do a stint of national service in the 1960s.

But little more than 12 months later, and after a short spell at Keighley firm Magnet, he was back working alongside the friend he first met at Holy Trinity Primary School, Bingley.

Mr Bailey, 65, had been due to retire earlier this year but decided to wait until Christmas Eve and leave on the same day as his colleague of 50 years.

"I decided that if I stayed for a few more months then I would have done 50 years," he said.

"We came here together, so I suppose we might as well leave together. I suppose you could say it has been a life sentence!"

The pair recalled memories of work outings to places such as Blackpool and the fire of 1965 which destroyed a large part of the factory.

But it was rugby that really drew the workers at Atkinsons together, with both keen members of the former Bingley Rugby Union team.

And Mr Alston said keeping fit would be one of his priorities when he retires.

"I like to get around and I expect I'll be doing a lot of walking and rambling," he said.

One thing is certain - Atkinsons will feel like a different place without its two longest-serving joiners.

Co-director David Atkinson, whose grandfather William founded the firm in 1875, said they would be difficult to replace.

"Les still opens the place up every morning and locks up last thing at night," he said. "It is certainly going to be a bit strange without them."