Colleagues at Asda Great Bridge pay their respects to much-loved customer Doris

Colleagues at our Great Bridge store held a minute's applause as they lined up to pay their respects when the funeral cortege for much-loved customer Doris Hobday – one the Tipton Twins – paused at her favourite supermarket on its way to the church.

Doris and her sister Lil were firm favourites at the store for their great sense of humour, positive outlook and charming personalities.

The store's community champion Parv Basi formed such a close bond with Doris and Lil that she was invited to join her closest friends and family at the service.

Parv said: "It was a really emotional day for us all, yet very fitting that Doris came to pay us one last visit. There were over 40 colleagues who went outside to pay their respects and gave Doris a round of applause as the funeral cortege passed.

"Doris shopped with us here for over ten years and loved her visits to Asda Great Bridge, and we all loved serving her. I was privileged to meet and get to know these lovely ladies and our thoughts are with Lil and all the family at this sad time. Doris always had a lovely smile and cheeky word. She will be sorely missed by all of us.”

Doris and Lil shot to fame as Britain’s oldest identical twins, capturing the nation's hearts with their ready smiles and great personalities on social media and in numerous appearances on TV and in the newspapers.

Doris, who was 96, died last month after testing positive for coronavirus.

Colleagues loved Doris and Lil's regular visits, calling them " the loveliest ladies you will ever meet". Read more here.

They made headlines last summer when, asked what the best present would be for the 96th birthday, said there were only two things on their list ... a trip to their local Asda and to meet Jason Statham. Read more here.

Lil's granddaughter Kerry Clarke wasn't able to arrange a date with the Hollywood-based actor, but she did speak to Parv, and the twins were delighted when she arranged a socially-distanced visit back in August one morning before the store opened.

Doris summed up what a lovely time they'd had by saying: "The Queen couldn't have had it any better than us. It's better than a trip to Blackpool."