Vertical Travel Group boss Peter Healey and director Dennis Gardner stopped by the agency to present Andrea Murphy and Bekki Moran bubbles, flowers and a cheque as a thank-you.

Murphy, who has racked up 30 years service with Miss Ellies, and Moran 20, both hailed the business for its welcoming and knowledgeable service.

“I love the fact something different is going on every day,” said Murphy.

“One minute, I can be arranging a coach holiday to Scarborough, the next, a California itinerary or a cruise. The enquiries we get are just so diverse. There’s never any dull moments.”

Murphy warmly recalled the day she got the call from Miss Ellies founder, Ellen Doherty, offering her a job.

“I rang my Mum from the nearest payphone (it was 30 years ago) and said: ‘I’ll just see what it’s like, I’ll probably only stay for six months or so’,” said Murphy.

“The rest as they say is history. I never thought I’d be here 30 years later.”

Moran, meanwhile, said she was motivated by the rest of her “great team” and Miss Ellies’ independence.

“We’re not as restricted as other agents with regards to who we can use to book with, meaning we find holidays more suited to the customer,” she said.

“The internet has really changed things and initially I felt it may be the beginning of the end for us agents, but the good ones have shown they can stay strong and survive especially with the knowledge we have.”