TWO years after announcing they were leaving the pub trade Carol and Brian Washington will pull their final pints on Friday.

The couple put The Woodman, which is a freehouse, on the market for £420,000 in 2015 after deciding 12 years was enough time behind the bar.

Mrs Washington said they had not thought it would take so long to sell but now that it has they are more than ready to head off on their summer tour of the country - even if saying goodbye to customers who have become friends will be quite a wrench.

Mrs Washington said: "We are here until Friday when we move out. After 14 years we are just pleased to be getting out.

"We are going to have the summer off and go and tour this beautiful country and then go and find something to do later. We don't know what will be getting into but will just enjoy the summer off to start with.

"But it definitely won't be another pub - we are done. After 14 years in the pub trade it is enough - it is such a full-on commitment - it is a lifestyle rather than what you want to be doing after so long

"So will be trying something new.

"I shall definitely so many of my lovely, lovely customers who have supported us. Even right up to now they are telling us they are sad we are leaving.

"And I shall miss the hustle, bustle of the day."

Although not naming their successors she said the pub would be in safe hands.

She said: "They are a lovely couple.

"We put a lot of love and devotion into this pub and have a nice group of customers and it is time now for somebody with new energy and a new outlook on life and keep its vibrancy going.

"I think it is going to very good hands and I hope all my customers support them in the way they supported us because they are just lovely people."

The Worthingtons worked for Wadworths brewery to get their training before taking on their own pub after having worked variously as secretary, chauffeur, cook, in a car factory, on the railroads and for the council.

Mr Washington said deciding to go into the pub trade happened in their 40s and was a bit like their mid-life crisis.

The couple have raised more than £40,000 for charity during their tenure.