A COUPLE from North Yorkshire have retired from a family market business which was set up 109 years ago.

Trevor and Eve Dennis have taken down their fruit and vegetable stall for the last time, and Hambleton District Council has marked their long service to the area by presenting them with a year's membership at Thirsk Racecourse.

Trevor's grandfather, Fred, founded the Thirsk-based business in 1895, selling fruit, veg and fish from a stall in the White Swan yard.

His parents were also in the trade, with his mother running a fruit and veg shop in the market place and his father a fish and game stall in the Crown.

Trevor left school at the age of 14 to work in the fish shop for two years, before going on to the markets in 1950 to sell hams and bacon.

After Army service, he went back on to the markets selling fruit and veg which, coupled with a mobile service to the surrounding villages, kept him busy for 52 years.

"When I first went on the market, the rent was four shillings and six pence for two days a week. We have come a long way since then," he said. "I have had some very loyal customers, who have become friends. I shall miss them all."