Carol from Asda Alsager wows customers with her amazing singing voice
- Carol, who used to perform professionally and once sang at a birthday party for Princess Margaret, is known as Singing Carol on Tills by some of her customers.
She often sings in the store's foyer to raise money for our Tickled Pink breast cancer campaign – belting out popular songs from artists like Tina Turner and Amy Winehouse and even singing opera.
Sixty-two-year-old Carol, who's worked at the store for four years, said: "Customers come in and say 'go on give us a song' and I just sing to them. I'll say what's your favourite and they will say blah, blah blah and I'll just burst it out. Not a shift goes by without me singing. I like the fact that I can be myself at work. It makes customers happy, and me happy.
"I'm a big ballad girl really – Celine Dion, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand. I do dance sometimes and customers will join in with me. I'm a hard worker, but I like to have fun too. Customers say I make their day, which is nice."
Carol has a partner Gary Smith, daughter Natalie and grandchildren Joe and Emily, who are aged 11 and eight.
Carol didn't start singing professionally until she was in her 30s.
She said: "It was something I'd always wanted to do but never had the confidence. I've sung at pubs, clubs and hotels; I've done the lot. I even sang for Princess Margaret while working in Ray McVay's band. I've had a very colourful life. I've lived in Blackpool, Bournemouth, Torquay and even toured Spain in a motorhome.
"Fourteen years ago I got down to the last 24 on The X Factor and went to bootcamp for a week. It was when Joe McElderry and Olly Murs were in. I was 48 at the time, and the oldest there. It was an experience I'll never forget.
"When I was told I was going to be a grandma I thought 'I don't think grandmas should be doing this' so I stopped professionally and didn't gig anymore. I still do karaoke though and sing while I'm at Asda!"
Caroline Smith, the store's service section leader, said: "Carol is genuinely lovely and she makes everyone smile. People are always saying about her singing and how it makes their day.
"She's got an absolutely amazing voice. She often works on self scans and she just wanders around singing while she's working. She can sing absolutely everything from Amy Winehouse to the 60s and 70s. She loves a bit of Motown too.
"When it's Tickled Pink she sets up in the foyer and everyone has a sing-along and a dance. She's does requests too. The customers all know her and call her Singing Carol on Tills! Colleagues absolutely love her too."
Store manager Gary Bray, who nominated for an Asda service superstar award for her brilliant way with customer, said: "Carol will go above and beyond for our customers and always makes customers and colleagues smile with her amazing singing voice.
"She always puts the team first and will do anything asked of her without moaning. She will venture out in the rain to gather all the trolleys so the customers can have a happier shopping experience with us too. And she will always come in and work overtime when we are short or to cover sickness."