Customers at a pub in Dartford have pulled together to celebrate a landlord who has given 40 years of service to a pub in Stone.

Sean Holland, 75, has spent four decades running The Lads of the Village pub, a favourite among residents in the area.

Previously a guitarist in a band in Ireland, Mr Holland had toured America and the UK in his past life.

And considering his passion for music, his customers and friends decided to collect their pennies to say thank you for his hospitality - with a brand new guitar and a party.

"I was very amazed. I just wanted to have a little drink with them to celebrate. I didn't realise they were going to give me a guitar," Mr Holland told News Shopper.

After 25 years of running the watering hole, punters raised money between them to send Mr Holland back to Ireland to visit home.

He joked: "I thought they would want to get rid of me by now."

Anne Ridley, a regular customer of The Lads of the Village, said more than 200 people joined the party to say thank you to Mr Holland.

"The place was packed," she said, as people piled in to thank the man "who does so much for the community."

During his 40 years in Stone, Mr Holland has organised tours for young football teams and raised thousands of pounds for charity.

He admits running the pub has not always been plain sailing: "There are some days where I think, 'do I really have to do this today?' But then I get in the pub and I'm fine.

Asked why he decided to settle in Stone after his tours across the Atlantic, Mr Holland said: "I don't know" - but he has no plans to leave his punters any time soon.

"I don't see the people there as customers - they are friends," he said.