They spent their working lives caring for others so on International Nurses Day it was only right that a fuss was made of them.

Retired nurses Daphne Shave, 86, Kathleen Caley, 80, and Margaret McGirr, 88, are all now residents at Spring Lodge care home, in Woolverstone, where staff prepared a special surprise, presenting them with flowers and chocolates ahead of a celebratory afternoon tea.

Activities coordinator Aimee Davey said: "They all led amazing lives of service to the community and we wanted to show our appreciation."

After starting her working life at Pretty's corset-making factory in Ipswich, Daphne worked as a nurse during the 1950s at Felixstowe hospital.

After meeting her husband Peter at a dance hall in Ipswich, she eventually left work to start her family; they have two boys, Trevor and Adrian, and four grandchildren.

Kathleen left school at 15 and became a student nurse at Essex County Hospital in Colchester.

She recalled that after a year's probation she was taken on as a trainee nurse earning £2 and 10 shillings a week.

After stopping work to raise her two sons, Phillip and Bryan, she worked at Thornbank Nursing Home, in Ipswich, rising to become home manager for 17 years before she retired in 2000.

Margaret started nursing in Southend hospital and then worked as a nurse in Africa after getting married.

She returned to work at Southend hospital and in the community while raising her three children and fostering many others.

*Scroll right on top image for more pictures.

If you have a story you would like to share; use the black Nub It button on the home page, upload your article, add a picture, and submit. We will do the rest.

Or contact the editor: [email protected]