Asda Doncaster staff member’s special bond with 82-year-old customer Eddie

Former labourer Eddie, who uses a mobility scooter to get to the store, said: "I love coming to see Laura, I come in every day; she's lovely, she's really good to me. I miss her when she's not in.

"I live on my own so it's nice to have a little chat with her, we talk about all sorts of things and she will help me with my shopping if I need it and put it on my scooter for me.

"When it was my birthday she arranged a surprise for me when I came in and we had tea and cake which was nice. She really looks after me."

Thirty-three-year-old Laura, who's worked at the store for five years, said: "Eddie comes in every single day and always comes to find me. I don't know how is started really, I think he just introduced himself. He said 'What's your name?, my name's Eddie' and since that day we always have a little chat and talk about all sorts of random stuff.

"If he needs any help with his shopping I'll walk round with him or of he wants any items that he can't reach I'll do that for him too. I'm always suggesting bits and bobs for him to try, like apple pies, that I know he will like. He's such a lovely, friendly, genuine guy and I have a lot of time for him. He's like my grandad, I love him.

"He speaks to all the colleagues in the store, but he always make a beeline for me and he will send people looking for me if he can't see me!

"When he told me it was his birthday I put some banners across our warehouse door saying 'birthday boy' and I got him a cake, a little present and a card with said 21! He came into the canteen and we all had piece of cake and a cup of tea with him and he absolutely loved it.

"At Christmas, I kept asking him for ages if he'd put his tree up and he said he wasn't going to bother. But I said he must, so I got him a tree and we had some spare decorations from our one at work so I packed them up for him and gave them to him."

Store manager Justin Macrae said: "Eddie is a real character and he lives on his own. He visits our store every single day without fail to do his shopping and also to see Laura. The way Laura looks out for Eddie is heart-warming. She always makes time for him.

"When Laura arranged for a birthday surprise for Eddie it was lovely. She brought him into the colleague area and we all sang happy birthday to him. After he'd blew the candles out we sat with him and had a cup of tea and piece of cake with him. He was made up with it as it was such a lovely thing to do."

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