A DEVOTED employee from Chagford has celebrated 25 years of working for the town-based Helpful Holidays company, with a surprise lunch attended by friends, family and colleagues.

Sylvia Lewis, who turns 70 next year, was the first employee taken on at the family run business, which is one of the West Country's leading cottage agencies.

The company has been running for 25 years and has grown from a small company to the high tech business it today.

Over the years, the portable typewriters Mrs Lewis used to use have been replaced with electric ones and now, computers.

Mrs Lewis grasped the challenge of change with ease.

She said: 'I have always enjoyed working for Helpful Holidays, they are a really good family company to work for and look after all their staff.'

Mrs Lewis started off working as a clerical assistant, working her way up to a PA and now works two days a week.

The business, which is run from the Dartmoor farmhouse of Euan and Su Bowater, started with a handful of cottages and now has over 600 properties on the books.

Mrs Lewis said: 'I have had so many happy years, and so many happy memories, here's to the next 25.'

For a free 2009 brochure call 01647 433593 or alternatively, visit the website at http://www.helpfulholidays.com">www.helpfulholidays.com