A CHARISMATIC shop assistant who brightened up' people's days has checked-out for the last time.

Colin Foulks will be sorely missed, say customers and colleagues at the Spar in Gorse Covert, after taking voluntary redundancy.

"It's upsetting, I'm really choked," the 38-year-old said on his penultimate day at the store where he has worked since joining as a 17-year-old YTS lad.

"Saying goodbye to these people will break my heart."

But popular Colin will not be forgotten in a hurry after gaining a reputation as someone who would make the extra effort for shoppers and workmates alike.

"He's lovely," said Spar regular Christine Abdel-Naeim from Rangemore. "He's just always so bright and cheery and ready with a joke.

"He's made coming here a pleasure."

Fellow customer Ian Downes said Colin delivered papers and goods to elderly residents in Mosslands.

"He has always been a jovial character and has a way of making fun of shoppers in a non-offensive way," he said.

"He would repeat the name of the magazine you were buying like Hello or OK as if in conversation and it would take you a bit before you realised what he was doing!"

Colin's colleague, Ann Braide, added: "He just brightens up your day. We'll all miss him a lot.

"We call him Curly Watts or the Milky Bar Kid because he looks about 10 and he's really 38!"

The Spar in Gorse Covert Road has recently been taken over by Alfred Jones Ltd, resulting in two of four supervisory/managerial positions being made redundant.

In a statement, Alfred Jones' retail director, Ken Gallant, said staff changes at the store had been made with great regret'.

Employees had been given a free choice' in choosing between alternative positions at another store or voluntary redundancy, he said.