A TRIP to Buckingham Palace was a reward for Braintree Council’s longest-serving employee.

Jenny Sorrell has worked for the council for 48 years, having first joined the former Braintree and Bocking Urban District Council in 1961, when she left school at 15.

She started as a junior clerk at the town hall and is now one of the council’s managers.

Her reward for long service was the chance for her and husband, Philip, to rub shoulders with dignitaries and royalty at Buckingham Palace.

She said: “It was amazing and overwhelming. I was honoured to have the invitation to go. We were chauffeur-driven to the Mall and had a champagne picnic in St James’s Park.

“We didn’t speak to the Queen, but we saw her with the Duke of Edinburgh. It was thrilling.”

Mrs Sorrell, 63, of Broad Road, Braintree, now works as a manager in the council’s environmental services department, having previously worked as a secretarial admin manager, personnel and training adviser, callcentre team leader and admin manager. She has served in four different council buildings including Millennium Tower, Braintree, where she is based now.

Council chief executive Allan Reid said: “Jenny has been serving the public for 48 years. Being invited to Buckingham Palace was an honour she truly deserves and we are all very proud of her.”

Mrs Sorrell said would consider retirement one day – but not until she had chalked up at least half a century with the council.