A SECURITY guard from Winsford is still going strong – at the age of 78.

George Gleave, 78, retired in 1999 at the age of 62 after 29 years working as a maintenance engineer at Express Dairies in Northwich.

But after two years of retirement George decided there was still life in the old dog yet, and set about getting back to work.

George said: “I was bored stiff so I got myself a part-time job as a security guard. I had to go and sit my license. I did it in four days in Widnes.

“Passing it was no problem but getting a job, that was the trouble as no-one wanted to know because I hadn’t done security before.

“I’d retired and just got the license. They just said ‘come back when you’ve got experience’.”

Despite several knock-backs, George, who is diabetic, was offered a part-time position guarding a building site in Winsford.

“After about six or seven weeks I asked for a few more days,” he said. “My manager said the maximum they could give me on part-time is three days.

“After a few weeks I asked if I could go full-time and he said yeah why not.”

And from there George has never looked back.

Now he works for the global transport giant Iveco, who have a depot in his home town of Winsford.

George, who suffers from arthritis, works five 12-hour shifts a week, three of those through the night, totalling 60 hours.

Most people George’s age are happy to spend their days with their feet up in the comfort of their own home.

So at 78, what drives George to work so hard?

George said: “It’s purely boredom. Plus there were three lads who actually retired with me who have gone. It keeps me going I guess.

“My wife Joan keeps telling me to wind it down. My license is due in August this year and she said ‘don’t bloody bother getting your license’.

“But I said ‘oh no’, I’ll renew it because if I do retire I can retire on the basis that if I’m fed up I'll come back.

”I’ve maybe got another 12 months in me. I’d like to make it to 80, but we’ll see if I’m still around by then!”