A PORTER who has worked at the NHS for 60 years has been nominated for a BBC award.

Alex Abbott, 90, the porter at Evesham Community Hospital is one of three people to be nominated for the NHS Patients Unsung Hero Award on the BBC's One Show.

The show airs tonight (Friday) at 7pm on the TV show, featuring presenters Matt Baker and Alex Jones.

The vote will close at approximately 7.20pm during the NHS Awards live show.

A description of him on the One Show's website says: "Alex is a Porter at Evesham Community Hospital.

"He is 90 and has given 60 years of service to the NHS, during this time he has had many roles; working as a mortician, a telephonist, a gardener and even the ward’s Father Christmas.

" His colleagues say; “whatever the weather Alex is always smiling, chatting to people around the hospital and looking on the bright side of life.”

In March, a birthday party was held at the hospital for Mr Abbott.

When he started working for the NHS in 1958 - just 10 years after its creation - the average weekly wage was £9.25, the average house cost £2,064 and a pint of milk was just 3p.

In 2011 the hospital’s Abbott Ward was named after him.

At 90 years of age, he is the third oldest employee in the NHS with the two others being older than him by just a couple of months.

Mr Abbott officially retired 16 years ago but he still works around 14 hours a week at the hospital and even donates his time to patients on Christmas Day by visiting them whilst dressed up as Father Christmas.

To vote, visit bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/rbVsk2TdK6cS0Ws2dRcXWZ/the-one-show-nhs-patients-unsung-hero-award-online-vote