AN employee is set to become the boss at a physiotherapist’s clinic — with her former managers now working for her.

Samantha Walsh, aged 46, has bought Bolton Physiotherapy Clinic, in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, from Geoffrey and Judith Pearson.

She has been working there for more than 20 years and the Pearsons will continue working with her under the change.

The clinic was originally founded by Mr Pearson’s parents in 1950 and the change in ownership has been accompanied by a relocation of the business to a different site in Chorley Old Road.

Mrs Walsh said: “Geoffrey took it over in 1989. He and Judith, who are aged 57 and 53, are semi-retiring but will continue to work at the practice. I have worked for them since 1990 and have got to know them very well.

“They will be working here part -time but I will have to look at getting another therapist when they fully retire in the future.

“It’s an exciting time for me to be taking over such a well-established business as this. Geoffrey and Judith have been making plans for the future and getting to the point where they’re thinking about retirement.”

Mrs Walsh grew up in Astley Bridge and attended the former Smithills Moor Grammar School.

She later trained in physiotherapy in Cardiff and returned to Bolton.

Mrs Walsh worked for the NHS in the area for a number of years, between the former Bolton Royal infirmary, Bolton and District General Hospital and Leigh Infirmary.

She said: “We do all kinds of physiotherapy work and acupuncture for a wide range of customers. Patients may be suffering back pain, sport or whiplash injuries or strokes, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease.”

Other staff at the clinic include receptionists Joan Sheridan and Ann Morris.

The business was previously based at Stocks House in Chorley Old Road but has been relocated to a new site, which was a shop and once home to St Andrews Travel, in the same road.

The building has been completely refurbished and refitted, with the construction work done mainly by Bolton-based Duxbury Builders.

Mrs Walsh added: “I’m hopeful the majority of our existing patients will still visit the new practice, some of whom come from places such as Westhoughton, Adlington and Chorley.”