ONE of Trafford’s longest established independent shops, Taylors of Sale, helped its oldest customer celebrate a landmark birthday.

Current head of the family-run firm, Frank Taylor, presented Elisabeth Richards with an antique butchers basket containing a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne for her 80th birthday last month.

Mrs Richards has been a loyal customer of Taylors for more than 50 years and first met Frank when he was a butcher’s boy delivering produce by bicycle direct to her Brooklands home.

In the years that have followed Mrs Richards has remained a loyal customer, picking up her weekly order of middle bacon without fail.

Frank said: “Customers like Mrs Richards allow businesses like ours to flourish.

“We are proud to have her as a loyal customer so it seemed only fitting to mark her 80th birthday.”

The Northenden Road butchers was founded in 1850.

Mrs Richards, who celebrated her birthday on March 19, said: “Taylors are a wonderful firm. The service is fantastic as well as the quality of food.

“Taylors know all their customers by name and treat everyone the same – whether they buy half a pound of mince or two sausages.”

Mrs Richards is a big fan of Taylors' produce with middle cut bacon among her weekly staples. And while she loves cooking, she also enjoys their oven ready products when she finds herself short on time.

She said: “They have kept up with modern living.”