Grandmother June Weeden could be forgiven for taking life easy with a bit of daytime telly and a cuppa.

Instead, the 80-year-old from Kidlington spends most days scanning items on a check-out in one of Oxford’s busiest supermarkets.

And she’s not the only one on the wrong side of 65 wearing a staff uniform at Sainsbury’s in Kidlington.

Norman Bates, 81, Sheila Byles, 76 and Avril Childs 66, work alongside her as customer service assistants.

All four are part of a growing army of people clocking on well beyond retirement age.

According to government statistics, there are one million over 65s in employment, which is 10 per cent up on this time last year.

Mrs Weeden, who worked at Oxfam for 11 years before joining Sainsbury’s at the age of 68, explained: “Being busy here keeps me feeling younger. “It’s nice to be useful when you get to our age. My husband died in December, so this is my lifeline because it gets me out of the house.” Mr Bates, who lives in Begbroke donned a Sainsbury’s uniform for the first time when he turned 70.

The former professional salesman explained: “I had worked for myself and when I stopped, I felt at a loose end and a bit miserable, so came here. “It gets me out of the house and gives me a purpose. “Being that bit older helps, because I can say things to the customers the youngsters can’t get away with and make them laugh, which relieves a bit of tension.” Store manager Richard Hopkins said: “We have an all-inclusive policy of recruiting people of any age. “We actively look for those with the best customer service skills and whatever their age, we want them. “The older population understand the power of a smile.

“It makes you feel good and the person you are talking to feel great.”

Customer service manager Lyndsey Richardson added: “Older people are often better at handling customer service issues and I’ve learned an awful lot from them.

“They also help our younger members of staff with training and support.”

Great-grandmother Sheila Byles, of Kidlington, has never been late for work once in the 20 years she has worked at the store.

She admitted: “I do get knackered after a long day but I enjoy it. “I have problems standing for too long, so usually sit on checkout. “Older customers like us because we go at their speed, we don’t rush them.

Avril Childs, a grandmother who lives in Wolvercote, started working there three months ago after ‘retiring’ from her former job as a customer service assistant at another store.

She pointed out: “I am happy at work, it keeps you young. “Nobody here makes you feel an outsider because of your age and the younger ones come and sit next to us in the staff room. “We are the only people some customers speak to all day and because we are older, some say they feel more at ease with us. “As long as we can get out of bed, we’ll keep coming in.”