A LONG-serving Bulmers employee has shown his faith in the company by investing in its past and future.

Les Chambers, of Sutton St Nicholas, weighed in with two purchases in the cider industry, buying an 11-ton press for his garden and thousands of shares in his struggling employer.

He said: "The company has served me well. That's one of the reasons I wanted the cider press. It is a little bit of history."

Les bought the Woodpecker Club press after the club's site was sold off by Bulmers.

Debts have led to a huge sell off of company assets and a redundancy programme, which saw 70 jobs identified this week as being under the axe.

But despite the problems besetting the company Les is an example of the goodwill Bulmers has built up amongst its workforce and the community.

He said: "I love working there. The company has been a continuation of my life.

"I left school on a Wednesday and started at Bulmers on the Thursday."

And to show his faith Les has recently bought thousands of shares in the struggling company.

He said: "Obviously the company is in a difficult situation but I think a lot of people are up for the challenge. I am positive about the future, but who knows, if I am made redundant I might make the cider press turn again."

Meanwhile, Bulmers appointed a new Group Finance Director this week. He is Richard Pennycook, aged 38, who has experience with Welcome Break, Laura Ashley and JD Wetherspoons.