A volunteer who gave more than a decade to supporting the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station has been thanked for her dedication after retiring.

For the past 14 years, 86-year-old Millie Hughes has spent four hours a week volunteering in the RNLI's charity shop in Gorleston.

On Wednesday, Mrs Hughes was presented with flowers and a certificate by means of thanks for her devotion at a meal at the Pier Hotel, after deciding to retire from the shop.

Mrs Hughes, who used to run the Sea Cottage Tea Shoppe in Gorleston, began volunteering as a way to keep busy after her husband Ted died.

She said: 'I've always greatly admired the RNLI and the work that they do, and saw an advertisement saying they needed help, so thought I'd volunteer. I never expected to end up doing so for 14 years though.

'It gave me something to do, but I also made many friends over the years and really enjoyed my time there.'

Mrs Hughes, of Victoria Road, Gorleston, who also helps run the Memory Club at St Andrew's Church, said it felt the right time to step down.

She said: 'It was lovely to have been given the flowers and the plaque - I really wasn't expecting to get anything.

'I really enjoyed helping out at the shop as I know how important they are to the lifeboat crews. The equipment they use and the training they get don't come cheap, so it's very important they have the shops, as they provide a big source of income.'

Mrs Hughes, who has two sons, John and Gary, and a daughter, Coral, will however, be carrying on helping at the Memory Club.