Grandmother Rita Frost has worked for almost four decades at fast food chain KFC - serving six million pieces of chicken.

Rita joined KFC when she was just 23 and today her colleagues helped her celebrate her 60th birthday by throwing a surprise party.

The restaurant at Neats Court retail park, Queenborough, where she is assistant manager, was decorated in balloons, banners and poppers and she was given a three-tier chicken 'cake'.

Eight members of Rita's family have also worked at KFC including her husband, brother, sister-in-law and nephew.

Her daughter Charlene Card, 36, is restaurant general manager at the Gillingham branch.

Rita's brother, Tony Roberts, met his wife Karen while working at KFC and another family member even held her wedding reception at the fast food chain.

Rita, from Rainham, joined the Gillingham branch 37 years ago. She became restaurant general manager in 1983 and has served 6,234,500 pieces of chicken in that time.

Friends, family and colleagues all turned up for the surprise birthday party.

Rita, who eats at KFC five times a week when she is working and said her favourite thing on the menu is the rice box, said: "I have enjoyed every second of my time at KFC.

"It’s pretty obvious by how many people in my family have worked here that it’s a great place to work.

"Throwing me a birthday party at my restaurant was a perfect way to celebrate.

"I was shocked and surprised, it was really nice especially when my daughter Charlene read out some nice memories from staff I've worked with over the years.

"One of my most memorable moments while working at KFC was when Charlene was made restaurant general manager five years ago. She'd worked so hard and it was a very proud moment to see that pay off.

"The people I work with make KFC a fantastic place to work as we all work as a ream. We help each other during work and outside working hours, we're like a family."

Daughter Charlene said: "I had more than 25 messages from people wanting to share their memories of working with mum over the years.

"It really touched me seeing how big of an impact my mum had on them, even people from years ago.

"Reading out the messages to mum was a really nice way to celebrate and show her how much we all appreciate her."

"We love that so many of our family have worked at KFC.

"It’s been a big part of all our lives, so it was nice to get a few of us together and celebrate mum’s birthday and all our time at KFC over the years."