Emergency nurse practitioner Sandra Fletcher said farewell to colleagues at Trowbridge Community Hospital last Friday, as she retired following 17 years at the hospital.

Mrs Fletcher, who lives in Frome, has been employed in the NHS for 33 years in total, working in the minor injuries units in Frome, Bath, Westbury and Warminster, before moving on to Trowbridge.

The 63-year-old was given a leaving party at The Farmhouse in Southwick on Thursday, before colleagues decorated the staff room on Friday with balloons and banners for her last shift.

Mrs Fletcher, who will remain on the nursing bank in case of emergencies, said she will miss her team and the patients, but is looking forward to welcoming her seventh grandchild, who is due in four weeks’ time. She said: “It’s unbelievable the changes I’ve seen over the years.

“It’s not always gone perfectly, but overall it’s been a wonderful career. I’ve watched many children in Trowbridge grow up.

“I’ve had a great team behind me and I will keep in touch. The party was lovely and there were around 70 people at The Farmhouse, including colleagues from Warminster, Westbury and Frome.”

Mrs Fletcher will be going on a three-day trip to Edinburgh in September, which was a leaving gift from her colleagues, while she also has plans for a trip to Hawaii next year.

She added: “I will miss the hospital – but I definitely won’t miss driving to work in the snow for a 5am start.”