WHEN Dawn Howell was growing up she used to help in the family store. Now she is charge with her father lending a hand.

Dawn opened florists and general store The Rose Garden in Gorleston before Christmas, ably assisted by dad Paul Kelly.

A familiar face to generations of customers, Paul ran the floristry business and shop on Middleton Road for 34 years, retiring in 2003.

After completing a floristry course at Great Yarmouth College, mum-of-four Dawn, 37, decided she was ready to follow in his footsteps.

Both father and daughter are enjoying the role reversal working together, with Paul bringing the benefits of his years of experience to the business.

Dawn said: “Loads of customers remember Dad and comment how nice it is to see him working back here again. He is my mentor, any time that I need advice I can ask him.

“I worked in a shop previously, but always wanted to run my own business and now that I am more confident and the children are older it seemed the perfect opportunity.”

Paul added: “I didn’t want Dawn to do a job where she had to work all the time, but now she is at an age when she can make her own mind up, We both know what we are doing and just get on with it.

Dawn previously worked as senior team trainer at the Rainbow store in Bradwell.

Her husband Jason, a Gorleston-based police constable, helped spearhead the introduction of CCTV to the town centre.