SHOPKEEPER Peter Cook has been keeping residents of Britain’s smallest town supplied with all manner of goods for 50 years.

Despite racking up a half century of service at the Old Medical Hall general store in Llanwrtyd Wells 69-year-old Peter has no intention of shutting up shop and hanging up the closed sign.

Last week to mark his remarkable period behind the counter Llanwrtyd Town Council made a special presentation to Peter.

He had arrived with his family in Llanwrtyd on November 12, 1965 as his father William Cook and mother Joan Phyllis, bought the store from previous owner Gwyneth Williams, a pharmacist and JP.

The family had moved from Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham to set up business in the Breconshire town.

"The shop was a pharmacy which my father ran for many years until he became too old," said Peter: "During busy periods I would help out in the dispensary, counting out the tablets under his supervision.

"Miss Williams had also stayed on for a while to show us the ropes and introduce us to the customers."

Peter said over 50 years the shop had seen many changes: "We sold Shell petrol from a pump on the footpath and Shell motor motor oil from a roll top dispenser. The oil was hard pumped into a pint or half pint measuring can with a spout for pouring.

"In the back yard we had a tank of Aladdin Pink Paraffin, which we also sold for about 1s 6d that’s one shilling and six pence for a gallon which is about seven and a half pence new money."

As well as selling items such as toiletries, cigarettes and tobacco, pipes and lighters, wines and spirits over the years the shop has stocked fishing tackle, shot gun cartridges and farm supplies.

"We sold all veterinary goods and sheep dip as farmers have needed all weird and wonderful things for their stock."