Two couples with a combined 34 years' experience working at Helston hardware store Bowden's are now taking over the business.

Mark and Jean Slater, Caroline Langley and Martin 'Bat' Barnett have bought one of the town's remaining long-running businesses following the sudden death of Wesley Bowden in 2014.

His father Reginald began it in 1934, with Wesley and his elder sister Carol taking over in 1970.

Mark has worked there for 18 years, with his wife Jean also joining in the last 18 months, while Caroline has been there for 14 years.

All four said they were "extremely grateful" to Wesley's wife Lynn and younger sister Lorna for their patience during the purchase process.

Bat, the son of Max and Mary Burnett who owned a gentleman's outfitters in Wendron Street just across the courtyard from the back of Bowden's, said: "We also appreciate the customers' loyalty over the last couple of years and look forward to serving them in the future, and continuing Wesley's legacy."

They plan to keep the name Bowden's, as a reminder of its founders and also as it is synonymous with DIY in the town.

Its location at Market Place, just at the top of the steps leading to Church Street, will also stay the same, and although the building may get a spruce up its character will remain.

Jean, who used to work on the front desk of Helston Police Station and in Boots, said: "It's really important to keep the character of the shop, because people love it. We don't want to turn it into a shop that you could walk into anywhere - it's not going to look like B&Q."

Bat said being an older building it created some "special challenges" that still had to be overcome through further decoration and renovations being planned, but said its "history and provenance in the town" made it important to stay on the same site.

Jean added: "Finding another location in the town centre with anything like the floor space of this would have been a real challenge."

They are keen that the tradition of the Midday Dance on Flora Day coming through the shop should continue and are looking forward to being part of the community even more.

"There a lot of tradition in the town and it's what makes it special," said Jean. "It will be the same faces - the same team. On a day-to-day basis people won't notice any difference, certainly from the last couple of years."

Their takeover not only secures their own jobs but also those of at least five other members of staff who work there on a full and part-time basis.

There are now plans to develop into new lines and expand others, including the DIY, gardening and home brew ranges, as well as make better use of the existing click and collect online order service and hopefully also become a CollectPlus point for courier parcels.