A Wimborne opticians called on different generations – a 101-year-old customer and its youngest contact lens wearer – to launch its new premises in the town.

Joyce Sargent and nine-year-old Zara Ahmed jointly performed the honours at Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care in The Square.

They were presented with flowers and a gift voucher respectively as a thank you.

Clair Davies, Branch Manager, said: “We have moved from High Street to our new bigger store which is in a more prominent site and enables us to expand our services.

“We wanted to mark the opening in style and felt Joyce and Zara were the ideal choice to represent the wide range of people we help.”

Joyce, a retired secretary, who has had eye tests at the branch since 2006, was delighted.

She said: “I was honoured to take part.

“I felt like a little girl, so excited.”

Town Crier Chris Brown, pictured, also helped to spread the word.

Scrivens is a family affair for Zara as her parents and two brothers also get their glasses and contact lenses there.

Zara, a pupil at Allenbourn Middle School, has been wearing contact lenses for six months because they have been linked with slowing the progress of short-sightedness in children.

She said: “It was a nice surprise to be asked to the launch and I enjoyed taking part.

“The staff are really nice.

“I go there regularly so I have got to know them.”

Scrivens has moved to the former Barclays Bank which closed two years ago and is using its vault as a hearing room.

New services include an OCT machine to provide scans to aid earlier diagnosis of eye health conditions including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

The scans will be included, at no extra charge, as part of regular sight tests at the branch.

There is also a new and updated range of frames, including the latest designer names.

Family business Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care was established in 1938 and has 173 branches.