Two brothers-in-law are closing down their Norwich footwear store after 40 years in the Fine City.

Peter Ward and Paul Wright are retiring, and will close Ward and Wright Footwear at Timber Hill at end of February.

Mr Wright said it had been a pleasure sharing a love of fine footwear with customers over the past four decades.

He said: 'At Ward and Wright we've always shared our passion for shoes with our customers.

'We wanted to give them time and space to browse, in a comfortable and relaxed environment with expert advice at hand.'

Mr Ward and Mr Wright started out in the footwear trade producing handmade sandals.

They made the brightly-coloured leather pieces themselves in a Norwich workshop, and each pair was a unique creation.

The brothers-in-law took this cottage industry onto the high street in 1977, first with a market stall outside C&A, which is now Next, in Norwich's city centre.

Thanks to the stall's success, they opened a shop in 1978 in the unit now occupied by Timberhill Tips, and moved up the hill to its current location in 2002.

Mr Ward's mother, Cynthia Ward, worked in the shop when she was alive, and Mr Wright's three daughters have also worked in the shop.

The wives of the brothers-in-law, Bridget Ward and Lyndsey Wright, also helped out at the beginning when they were selling at the market.

Mr Ward he was proud of the shop's legacy.

He said: 'It's incredible to think that three generations of our family have worked at Ward and Wright, along with a great team of individuals that have supported the retail and the shoemaking. It has been a terrific 40 years but I am looking forward to the possibilities of retirement'.

Ward and Wright Footwear is running a closing-down sale until the end of the month.