WHEN Sue Allen first picked up her mop and bucket as a cleaner at a Hampshire motor dealers, little did she know that 21 years later, she would be running a department.

Sue is celebrating 21 years with Winchester's Kings Volvo dealership, where she has risen from part-time cleaner to aftersales controller, where she oversees a staff of 14.

It's a long way from sweeping up a couple of afternoons a week, which was how Sue started in 1981.

"I just needed a part-time job because my children were babies," said the mum of two, who recently became a grandmother. "I had absolutely no idea I would stay so long.

"I used to dust the desks and sweep up and that was all it was. I just stayed here and the job just grew."

Cleaning turned into typing shifts, which became full-time office admin and now Sue oversees the service reception.

Sue, 51, says she's not a career person, but was an inadvertent pioneer in a male-dominated world.

"I was one of the first women to be out in service reception all those years ago. It wasn't the done thing ten to 15 years ago.

"I don't look at myself as a pioneer. Some days I wish I was back doing the cleaning, there was less hassle doing that.

"It's a good job and a happy atmosphere," she added.

Sue was given a diamond and emerald ring by the company to mark her long service.

Dealership director Doug Holmes praised Sue's work with customers.

"She has a remarkable skill for remembering customer names and faces and always makes time to have a chat with customers and friends. She is definitely an asset."