PG Tips celebrates 75th birthday

The PG Tips chimpanzees are synonymous with the brand

One of the UK's favourite "cuppas" celebrated its 75th birthday at its Greater Manchester factory on Tuesday.

PG Tips - known for its TV adverts featuring chimpanzees - began in a humble Manchester teashop and is still made at a factory in Trafford Park.

It produces 35m tea bags every day and a special £7,500 diamond teabag was made to mark the anniversary.

It will go on show at the Trafford Centre shopping centre on 2 March before touring the UK.

The brand started in a tea shop in Manchester

The PG stands for Pre-Gestee and is a variant on the original name, Digestive Tea.

The first advert for the tea featuring chimpanzees was launched in 1956 and the series went on to become one of the best known in the UK.

Jack Young, who has worked at the Brooke Bond factory in Manchester for 28 years, said: "I love factory life.

"There's a great set of people, and most of us drink tea.

"We don't refuse jobs to coffee drinkers - though I'd like to!"