Specsavers Colchester recently celebrated its 35th anniversary with a special day of events.

The event included various activities to mark the milestone including balloon decorations, a charity prize wheel raffle, and cupcake giveaways, with a surprise visit from Guide Dogs.

Store director Becky Longobardi said: "We really enjoyed the celebrations.

"To mark 35 years is a special achievement and we’ve all (been) reminiscing about the many, many changes we’ve seen in the profession during that time. "

The store has provided eye and hearing services for thousands of residents for more than three decades, including detecting early signs of serious conditions.

Ms Longobardi praised the developments in technology in allowing the store to help patients, adding: "Our OCT machine is a prime example.

"It can help detect the early signs of multiple eye conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration before you have any symptoms."

Situated on Long Wyre Street, the store is one of the largest Specsavers in the area and employs more than 90 people.

Reflecting on the store's journey, Ms Longobardi concluded: "These have been really exciting times for the store as we're not only looking back at the last 35 years but also the next 30 years."