THE directors of Specsavers in Abergavenny have stepped down after 25 years working for the optical and hearcare group.

Andrew Sutton, 50, first opened the Specsavers store on Frogmore Street in 1991, and his co-director, Tim Palmer, also 50, joined the business in 1997 having previously worked as a an optometrist for Specsavers since 1990.

Over the last 24 years, the Abergavenny store has grown year-on-year and now offers optical services and audiology referral services six days a week.

It originally opened with just four members of staff and it now employs 18 people.

Both men officially stood down as directors of the Specsavers store on the September 30 to pursue other interests; they will be replaced by new directors, who are currently being recruited.

Mr Sutton has worked for Specsavers for 25 years and has also opened three other Specsavers stores in south Wales in Ebbw Vale, Caerphilly and Brecon. He sold the Caerphilly and Brecon stores onto new directors in 2003 and has now stepped down from his role as director of the Ebbw Vale store, which he opened in 1992.

Last year, Mr Palmer travelled to Cap Haitian in northern Haiti where he set up a test clinic and dispensing area and carried out 170 vision tests for locals, and gave glasses to those that needed them. During his visit, he also trained a local doctor in basic eye examination techniques so he could carry out tests in mobile clinics in surrounding villages.

Mr Palmer said: "It has been a pleasure to meet so many people from the Abergavenny community over the last two decades, without whom my job would have not have been so satisfying and enjoyable."

To book an eye test call 01873 859989 or visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/abergavenny.