COLIN Heselton, a local agricultural salesman for 47 years, has been receiving stiff competition for his job - from his own daughter!

Mr Heselton, of Airedale Avenue, Gargrave, who has clocked up approximately a million miles in his years driving to farms in Craven, could soon be handing over the reigns to his daughter Marie.

Starting as a driver for Preston Farmers, Colin then became a salesman supplying animal feeds and fertilisers to local farmers.

Now aged 68 and currently employed by Carrs Billington, based in Carlisle, Colin reluctantly told the Herald he would soon have to be thinking about retiring, but was pleased to be passing over a lifetime's experience to his daughter Marie.

Twenty-one-year-old Marie took a shine to her father's work when she was little and often used to accompany him to work.

She subsequently went on to gain a BSc (hons) degree from the University of Central Lancashire in Agriculture and Live Stock Management and has been working every Friday for Carrs Billington while at university to gain work experience.

Now she hopes to follow in her father's foot steps in agricultural sales covering her father's patch, that is as soon as she can persuade her father to retire!

And Carrs Billington have already warned her that the position is not yet vacant.

Mr Heselton, who still travels to individual farms like he has done from the start, went semi-retired a few years ago and now only works alternate weeks.

He told the Herald it was good to see the younger generation taking an interest in farming, but he hoped to carry on for another couple of years.

Mr Heselton, who used to be secretary of the Gargrave Agricultural Society, added that it was a sad thought to imagine life without carrying out his daily visits to local farms, where he had made some great friendships, in some cases with three generations.