THE owner of a Tyne Valley garage has described how he worked harder than ever before in his working life during the coronavirus pandemic.

Richard Taylor had already retired when he was persuaded to take on Fourstones Service Station five years ago, but took on the job to help the community.

However, he never expected to have to steer the business, which opened 55 years ago, through a global pandemic.

Richard explained some of the challenges the petrol station and convenience store faced.

He said: "It was a two-edged sword for us. The petrol and diesel was virtually died, we sold almost none at all because people weren't driving anywhere.

"However, we're the only store in the village and the shop went mental. We were doing two or three times our normal business from day one of lockdown.

"We had some problems with suppliers, like everyone, with things like toilet roll at first and then rice and pasta.

"Then it spread to alcohol, because everybody was sitting in the house having a drink!

"I was going to the wholesalers every day, at 6am, to find there was a queue round the block.

"It was very very tiring. I've probably worked harder in the first three months of lockdown than I have in my life."

The store also suffered from staff losses when two members of staff had to self isolate, leaving just four members of staff to run the shop 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

But they remained open, even allowing shielding customers to pay over the phone and collect their shopping from outside.

Richard added: "People have said they're really grateful to us for keeping it going. I've never done it for te financial aspect, it's more of a community thing.

"That was the reason for doing it, even though we were concerned for our own health.

"It's the only facility in the village were people can meet and say it's theirs. It's quite important."