GREAT grandma and long-serving check-out operator Joan Hargreaves enjoyed a day to remember when family, friends and colleagues conspired to give her a 70th birthday surprise.

Joan, of Hastings Close, Blackburn, arrived at work to find her check-out decorated with balloons and birthday greetings before staff presented her with flowers and a specially iced cake.

But the biggest surprise of the day came when son-in-law Peter Parkinson arrived dressed as Superman.

Joan said: "I certainly won't forget it will I? It's been a real day to remember and I wasn't expecting anything at all. I had told some of my friends my birthday was last week but I think my daughter Christine soon put a stop to that.

"I've had a wonderful time and all this has certainly caused a stir in the supermarket. I thought after the surprise in the morning that was it but when I saw people peeping round the corner I sussed something else was going on and then Peter appeared."

Joan has worked at Morrison's in High Street, Blackburn, for more than seven years.

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