SENIOR registration officer Barbara Airey has retired after a 30-year career in Kendal, during which she is said to have registered more than 10,000 babies.

Mrs Airey has been responsible for the registration of births, marriages and deaths in the area since taking up the position of deputy registrar in 1974.

But her county council career goes back even further – having worked for the former Westmorland County Council after leaving school in 1966.

In many cases she has recorded births to mothers whose own births she registered.

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She has also been responsible for the registration of deaths and marriages over the same period.

Mrs Airey was born in Kentmere and has lived in the Kendal area all of her life. She now lives in Sedgwick with her husband Peter and is the mother of two grown up children, Rachel and James.

Following her retirement she is looking forward to spending more time with her five grandchildren, Hannah, James, Ben, Katie and Isaac.

Cumbria registration service’s area manager Susan Oliver said: “I have worked with Barbara for such a long time at Kendal that she’s not just a colleague but I consider her a good friend. She’s going to be really missed by all of us here, and also by the people of Kendal.”