The company thanked stalwart Peter for his loyalty as he stepped down from his post at Orchard Toys in December.

Peter Neate has retired after 40 years as Orchard Toys’ agent for the North of England. The company congratulated Peter on his retirement and thanked him for his loyalty and dedication.

Peter said: “I have to say Orchard has always been a pleasure to work for. It was the first agency I took on and the last one I still had. For me, the greatest asset working with Orchard was that the customers were always pleased to see me, as they invariably needed restocking.

“I’m looking forward to playing golf again, volunteering for the local Woodland Trust, spending time with the family and study the form of horses more, which has been a passion of mine for many years. I wish Orchard Toys every success in the future.”

An Orchard Toys spokesperson said: “We would like to wish Peter a healthy and happy retirement and can assure his loyal customers they will continue to receive the same high levels of service from the Orchard Toys team.”