IT is an achievement for anyone to celebrate 25 years in their job, but a department at the Royal Bolton Hospital boasts three long-serving nurses.

Tina Gundlach, Melanie White and Nichola Yearsley work together at the hospital’s Women’s Health Care Department and between them have 78 years experience in gynaecology.

Tina, a senior sister and manager, started her nurse training in 1987 at the hospital and went straight into gynaecology when she qualified in 1990.

Melanie, a registered nurse, started her nurse training in 1988 at Bolton as well, and went straight into gynaecology when she qualified in 1991.

Nichola, a nurse colposcopist, started her training in Bolton in 1986 and joined the gynaecology team in 1989.

Sister Gundlach said it had been a “privilege” to work together for so many years. She added: “I am blessed to have worked with friends like these for so many years. We started out as colleagues when started all those years ago, but over the years the three of us have become very close.

“It’s quite unusual for a team like us to have worked to together for so long. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the NHS and have definitely had some challenging times, but we have a lot of experience between us. It really is a luxury to work with people you class as your friends.”