THE team from a long-established village opticians celebrated their 40th anniversary with a dinner at The Villa, Levens.

Colleagues past and present from LM Baverstock of Milnthorpe gathered for the occasion.

They included several students who came on work experience from schools and went on to study optometry or dispensing optics. One is now studying medicine and hopes to become an ophthalmologist.

Simon and Louise Budd, the optometrists who took over the business in 2006 from Alan and Linda Baverstock, are continuing this tradition.

They have already guided one student through their degree to qualify as a dispensing optician and they employ students to work on Saturdays and in the holidays at the practice, located in The Square.

Mrs Baverstock still works part-time at the practice she and her husband set up in 1978. She also helps visually impaired people through the charity Sight Advice South Lakes, based in Kendal.

Baverstock Opticians engages with the increasing number of shared-care schemes set up locally. These are designed to reduce appointments at GP surgeries and hospital eye departments by using primary eyecare practitioners to triage patients with eye conditions or sight problems.