TWO long-serving Manx Telecom employees are celebrating working for a total of 90 years in the telecommunications industry.

Mike Loundes and Keith Trubshaw, who both work for Manx Telecom, have each notched up 45 years in the sector.

Mike is now Manx Telecom’s director of customer service and chief technology officer but began his career in 1965 working as a trainee technician with Post Office Telephones in the Isle of Man.

In 1971 he became technical officer with BT Isle of Man, a post he held until 1982.

Mike then worked for four years as assistant executive director with BT Isle of Man and then became project manager with the newly created Manx Telecom.

In 1991 he was appointed network controller before taking up his current role in 1998.

Keith joined the GPO in Liverpool as an apprentice in 1965 and after completing his training went to work as a Telex service engineer.

His friendship with Mike Loundes goes back a long way as the two were in the same class when they were studying electrical engineering at technical college in the late 1960s.

Keith's association with the Isle of Man began because he was a motorbike racer and he competed in the 1973 Manx Grand Prix.

He visited the Island many times as a rider and spectator and in the 1980s he came to the Island as part of his job and worked here as a Telex engineer.

Keith moved to the Island to work full-time in 1986 as Manx Telecom was being set up.

He now works as a business systems engineer.