A husband and wife team of GPs are embarking on their retirement plans together having served residents Little Lever for 35 years.

Dr Shri Kant and Dr Aruna Gupta will have been a familiar face to many at the Spring View Medical Centre which they opened in 1996.

The couple started practising in Bolton in 1980 and settled in a practise in Little Lever in 1985.

Despite the pandemic, the couple are going ahead with their retirement which they started planning last year.

During his career, Dr Kant also worked for the Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group for several years as an executive member.

Dr Kant said:"I've really enjoyed my work but what I love most is seeing my patients.

"I've been gone from the practise nearly two weeks now but I am already missing it a lot, I have patients who are asking when I will be coming back.

"It was very hard working my final few months as a GP during the coronavirus pandemic as it meant I couldn't see my patients face to face.

"It's been very challenging not having that interaction.

"For me it was always important to offer a holistic approach and ensure that my patient's wellbeing, as a family practice you build up a relationship with your patients.

"I think patients really like that personal experience and the staff always know them by name.

"I was an executive member for the Bolton Clinical Commissioning group from 2011 until 2016 and that was a very good experience for me, I saw the other side of the coin."

During their retirement the couple hope to get involved with charity work and travel abroad, as well as spending time with their six grandchildren.

Dr Kant said: "I was a bit of a workaholic. There have been a few bumps along the way and the NHS is full of challenges and changes, but we've made it through to the other side.

"We always planned to retire together as we didn't want one person at home while the other was at work.

"Hopefully we will be able to see our grandchildren more, two of our children are doctors so it is certainly in our blood."