WILLIE Brown has brewed up an attendance record that's hardly pint-sized.

For the 56-year-old started work with Thwaites, the oldest surviving brewery in Lancashire, straight from school in 1963, and hasn't had a day off since!

In 40 years' service he has worked at three different sites, including Salford, at Lark Hill Street and the distribution depot on Shadsworth industrial estate, where he is a warehouseman.

Not even too much of his favourite tipple - a pint of mild - could come between Willie, of Spindle Berry Court, Accrington, and his work.

He started off in the mineral plant and moved to wines and spirits before taking on warehouse duties in 1973.

"I was 16 when I started. They used to bottle their own pop then," he said.

Willie, who is single and lives with his brother, doesn't have a secret to his good health - but admits a regular pint hasn't done him any harm.

His dedication was rewarded when he was presented with a watch after 25 years' service and taken for a slap-up meal by the chairman.

And workmates joined him for a pint of the company's best to help him celebrate his landmark achievement.

Even 40 years without absence is small beer for Willie, who says he intends to carry on as usual - without taking any time off, of course!.

But the popular worker, who spends his spare time gardening, says he is not bitter.

"I like it here, everybody is really friendly, I'm not ready for retiring yet."

Workmate David Croft said: "He's really hardworking. We couldn't manage without him."

The company was formed when Daniel Thwaite opened his family brewery in 1807 on the Star Brewery site, where there is still a site, moving to a bigger building in 1966.

Thwaites is the UK's sixth largest brewer, and produces 332,208 pints of beer every day across nine different brands.