Three retired nurses living at Spring Lodge care home were given a lovely surprise on International Nurses Day.

To show appreciation for their public service, Paul Ticus, manager at the Kingsley Healthcare-run home in Woolverstone, presented them with flowers.

Paul said: "Nurses do such an important job and we wanted to celebrate the past service of our three residents on this special day."

The district nurses who visit the home regularly, Michelle Kirby and Jackie White, were also presented with flowers.

Katleen Caley thanked

Kathleen Caley, 80, left school at 15 to become a student nurse at Essex County Hospital, in Colchester and recalled it was hard work, "six days a week, one day at college and five days on the wards".

After one year's probation she was accepted as a trainee nurse at the hospital on a wage of £2 and 10 shillings a week.

She had then to go and live in the nurses' accommodation near the hospital.

After a break to bring up her sons she worked in care and was manager at the former Thornbank Nursing Home, in Ipswich, for 17 years until she retired.

Christa Frain happy

Christa Frain worked as a nurse in her home country of Germany and met her Irish husband in a hospital where he was also working as a nurse.

She said: "Nursing has changed a great deal. In days gone by it was much more hands on, there seems to be a lot more paperwork involved these days. And nurses no longer wear hats! We looked so smart in those days."

Daphne Shave, 86, worked as a nurse during the 1950s until she met her husband Peter at a dance hall in Ipswich.

Spring House nurses are recognised