Is this the world’s biggest trowel owned by Burgess Hill man?

The 51-year-old from Burgess Hill will certainly feel the earth move a lot quicker with the mega-sized garden tool presented to him by work colleagues and customers to mark a work milestone.

Down to earth Brian has climbed from salesman to company director for the Tates chain that includes garden centres and the trowel was presented to him as part of celebrations of his 30 years loyal service

Brian rose through the ranks from caravan salesman, accessory shop manager, till supervisor, buyer, purchasing manager and now a company director where he is responsible not just for purchasing but overseeing technical and IT issues.

Trawling through his memory bank from the days of no computers he said: “It is incredible to think that it was three decades ago that I started working for Tates at their Pyecombe site outside Brighton.

“The time has gone so quickly, I can’t believe it.”

He thinks back to the early days, before computers, when the office telephones had dials; the secretaries used typewriters for letters and invoices; and the company communicated by Telex.

Brian recalls: ““The telephone number had only three digits back then, Poynings 555. Mobile phones didn’t exist and the pace of life was altogether different.”

Managing director Jonathan Tate who heads three garden centres as well as the Tates garage chain said:““Brian has been a stalwart member of the Tates company throughout his thirty years, it has been a pleasure to work alongside him.

“I really appreciate all the hard work and effort Brian has put in which has contributed towards the company’s success. He was there at the opening of our first garden centre, Paradise Park in Newhaven in 1989, instrumental in setting-up South Downs Nurseries in Hassocks 13 years later, and pivotal for the creation of Mayberry Garden Centre Portslade which opened its doors last year. He is a very loyal colleague.”

In the picture Brian Sayers receives the supersize trowel from Mr Tate.