A "HANDS-ON" nursing sister who helped with the flood evacuation at Worcester's Castle Street Hospital is retiring.

Sister Janette Back has been working on the Wheeley Lea ward at the infirmary for 14 years.

On Tuesday she said goodbye to bedpans and sponge baths as she celebrated her retirement.

"She's an absolute star," said Cherry Cope, auxiliary nurse on the ward.

"She's the first to be there if anyone has any problems. Everyone adores her.

"She's exceptionally good with people. She's one of the old-school."

Mrs Back, who is 60, has been in the nursing profession for 42 years.

She trained at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and has worked at hospitals in Droitwich and Worcester.

She also spent nine years working in an armed forces hospital in Germany.

"It's very sad to say goodbye, but I'll have time for myself," said Mrs Back. "I've had a super career with lots of opportunities.

"I never thought I'd have to help evacuate the hospital and meet the Queen. All the hospitals have been different.

"In Germany we were 30 miles from the East German border so there were always things going on.

"It was a small unit on the base and there were lots of different things to do."

Mrs Back is also a trained midwife and has worked in rheumatology.

But one of the most exciting situations she has experienced was when Castle Street Hospital was evacuated due to the floods.

Staff on the female orthopaedics ward said that the evacuation went well because of Mrs Back's involvement.

"She kept her calming influence," said Ms Cope. "She never panics.

"She's a great person, I can't say enough about her.

"She's not a sister who sits in the office. She will carry a bedpan. She's a real hands-on sister and she'll be missed."