A hard working charity volunteer who has raised an estimated £1.2million during her long career this week waved goodbye to Marlow High Street after 40 years.

Friends and colleagues held a party for stalwart Oxfam volunteer Bridget White, affectionately known as the “Queen of bric-a-brac”.

The 87-year-old Marlovian, who is a regular at the High Street store next to Sainsbury’s, is known for her skill in picking out hidden gems amid shop donations to sell in store.

And after seeing the move from the original Oxfam shop on the opposite side of the road, she will now bid farewell to the stretch where she has spent countless hours since first volunteering in the mid seventies.

She said: “I’ve been here 40 years, man and boy since the start. I’ve been called the Queen of bric a brac.

“It was the only charity shop in Marlow for a long time. It [The High Street] has completely changed over the years, it’s hard to remember what it was like before.

“I thought I’d call it a day, I’ve got to the stage where I can’t do a lot of things so I’ll leave it now to the younger generation. I hope I have done a bit of good over that time.

“My worst fear is turning on the Antiques Roadshow and seeing someone say they bought something in Marlow Oxfam for 50p that’s worth a fortune.”

Colleagues, friends and wellwishers gathered at the store on Tuesday to share cake and recount their experiences from throughout Ms White’s long career.

Shop manager Clare Thomas praised her work, saying the well-known Marlow figure will be a big loss to the store and High Street.

She said: “It’s just not going to be the same without her. She is Oxfam really, and the backbone of this shop.

“There’s always new volunteers and people coming and going, but she will be very sadly missed.”

Oxfam is currently asking for donations to its Nepal earthquake appeal, after two quakes struck the country in just over a week.

To donate vist https://donate.oxfam.org.uk/emergency/nepal