FOR more than 20 years Beth Milsom has helped blushing brides to look their very best on their big day.

During her time as a seamstress in Pershore and owner of Special Occasions, Mrs Milsom has created hundreds of dresses.

But after 22 years, she has decided to put away her needle and thread and spend more time with her family.

The 72-year-old, who used to teach dress making, decided to open Special Occasions in Pershore in 1990.

“We have made dresses for all sorts of people. We have made a wedding dress for the tallest bride in Britain and it was filmed for a BBC documentary,” said Mrs Milsom, who was awarded one of the first St Richard’s Hospice business women of the year awards.

“The bride was around 6ft 6in and her groom was 7ft 2in.

“We have designed dresses for all the gentry in the county for years. People have had dresses made by us all over the world from the Falkland Islands to America to Australia.

“I have done gipsy weddings as well, but not like those on the TV programme – we did traditional Romany gipsy weddings.

“I kept a book of all the brides we have made dresses for since 1990 – we must have made hundreds,” she said.

Special Occasions will close on September 29, but Mrs Milsom said they are busy right up to the last day.

“We still have work booked in, but no one is sewing anymore so it seems there is no one who wants to take it over.

“If someone did come along who wanted to buy the business before we close, that would be fabulous.”

To thank all her customers, Mrs Milsom plans to have a celebration in the last week.

“Everything has to go, including all the display dresses in the window. “Hopefully, people will pop down and say goodbye before we go so I can thank them.”