CHARLES Addey gets into the spirit of shopping when Fentons the butchers lay on VIP (very important pensioner) treatment for him.

The Fenton family have been giving him a tot of spirits when he has dropped in at their shops for 30 years - now they have even laid on a 'taxi' service to pick up the 94-year-old at his home.

Tony Fenton's mother, Rene, started the tradition of giving him a dram when she ran a grocer's shop. She would bring him a chair, sit him outside and take him a drink.

When she died five years ago, son Tony, the butcher, took over the custom. Last year Charles said he wanted his meat to be delivered to his home in High Street, Grimethorpe, but Tony and wife Elaine insisted on picking him up.

Every Friday morning they take him to the shop on Brierley Road, Grimethorpe, give him a generous measure of brandy after he's bought his meat and return him home.

Charles said:"I had told Tony I would have to have my meat delivered because I could not walk round the village any more, but they insisted on taking me to the shop."

Tony said:" He is always cheery and we look forward to seeing him. It would not have been right if he had stopped coming."

• Charles gets up at 6am and has a cup of tea with whisky and again at 3pm.