A PLUMBER from Highworth made a surprise discovery after taking on the job of replacing the full heating system at Christ Church in Swindon.

Shaun Higgins, managing director Edward Bays Ltd, discovered a plaque mounted next to the old heating apparatus stating that it had been supplied and fixed by the same company in 1906.

Back then the firm was called Bays & Co, but is now run by Shaun, 33, who started at the company when he was 18.

Shaun said: “I couldn’t believe it. You hear of so many firms going out of business, but here you have a plumbing company fitting a heating system for Christ Church in 1906 and then coming back to update it 111 years later.”

Not wanting to let this historic occasion pass unnoticed, Shaun arranged for another plaque to be mounted alongside the first one stating: ‘Edward Bays Ltd proudly supplied and installed this heating system 2017’.

Rev’d Simon Stevenette, Christ Church vicar, joked: “We are all hoping that this new system will last for another 111 years!”