IN recognition of their loyalty and dedication, eighteen Stagecoach staff were acknowledged during an awards evening at Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa in Windermere.

The annual Long Service awards saw eighteen employees receive an award, recognising over five hundred years of combined service with Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire.

Among them was Angela Herdman, 59, who began her career at Stagecoach 30 years ago as a bus cleaner, a role she undertook for eight years before heading into the Barrow office where she has been ever since.

For Angela the Barrow depot are ‘like family’.

She said: “I suddenly lost my daughter Carly eleven years ago and everyone at Stagecoach was so incredibly supportive towards me, as they still are today.

"Over the years I have raised a lot of money for the charity dedicated to Carly’s memory and Stagecoach have been incredibly generous in their donations. The whole depot are amazing, everyone takes care of one another, we know we can depend on each other when we need to, and of course we have good craic too!”

The Long Service Awards have served as the company’s commitment to appreciate and acknowledge the contribution of its people.

Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire managing director Rob Jones said: “A huge congratulations to everyone who received a long service award on Friday evening.

"To have all that experience together under one roof and to have the opportunity to personally thank people for supporting the company, each other and – most importantly – our passengers over the decades is such a fantastic achievement.”