John Bayliffe has fond childhood memories of growing up in rural Cumbria, where his mum worked as a district nurse.

They lived for several years in the local nurse's house, while she looked after everyone from new mums to the elderly.

But, although nursing runs through the family, John never imagined he'd end up following in her footsteps much later in life, even going on to work in the very community she once served.

John is now an assistant practitioner within the Upper Eden Nursing Team, having qualified in his late fifties.

He said he often looks to his late mother for inspiration and is now is sharing their story as part of the NHS 70 celebrations.

John's mother, Beth Bayliffe, was born in 1923 in the north east and completed her nursing training in Sunderland, at roughly the same time as the National Health Service was being established.

Nursing clearly runs in the blood as her own mother also worked in the profession. Beth had to train as a triple nurse - a midwife, health visitor and district nurse - in order to work in the community. Her career then brought her to Cumbria, where she worked in the Shap area.

John was born in Carlisle in 1956, followed by his sister in 1958 and brother in 1960. When his brother was five they moved to the nurse's house in Askam, near Lowther, and Beth served the local area.

"I would be about nine. My brother was starting school and mum felt she could go back to work," he said.

"We lived in the nurse's house and mum worked as a district nurse. We were there for about five years."

The family then moved to Temple Sowerby, again living in the local nurse's house, while his mum worked in the district.

She remained there until retirement, but then continued working in the Sue Ryder nursing home at Temple Sowerby.

She died in 2002 after a short illness.

Initially it was John's sister Ruth (now Millican) that followed their mum into nursing. She was initially based at the Carlisle Maternity Hospital, then joined the Royal Navy Nursing Service. She later became a practice nurse at Shap, where she has now worked for 20 years.

John's career, however, initially went in a completely different direction. He spent a few years with the police before joining the Navy in 1971, working as a radio operator. He later worked for an insurance broker's firm in London, then had a stint as a ski instructor.

He started to think about nursing after spending some time in hospital, but it wasn't until he moved back to Cumbria - and was made redundant from another job - that it became a real option.

"I had a job as a van driver, which I hated. Then I saw an advert in October 2005 for a care worker at a residential home in Kirkby Stephen. I remember driving my van into the Christian Head car park for the interview. I started there the week before Christmas," he said.

He worked there until June 2009, when he started work as a healthcare assistant. "In all honesty, it was the best move I've ever made. I just wish I'd done it much earlier," said John.

Based in Penrith, he said he received lots of support from the team and loved working out in the community. He also worked in the out of hours service and did extra shifts where he could.

"Then the opportunity to work at Kirkby Stephen came up and I applied. They pushed me through my training in health and social care, and I passed my NVQ level 3," he said.

John went on to train as an assistant practitioner, graduating with a foundation degree in 2015. He said he could have gone on to become a registered nurse, but is quite happy working as an assistant practitioner within the Upper Eden district nursing team.

"I was offered the opportunity to go and do the full registration but I was in my late fifties and decided not to," said John, now 61.

He now covers the same area that his mum used to, and said regularly comes across people who remember her.

"For me these are important connections both for me to mum, but also her past. There was one lady who said my mum used to visit me and helpeed me with the birth of my daughter. That was quite special. I do think mum would be very proud if she could see me now," he added.

And the nursing connection doesn't end there. John's wife Freya is now working at Penrith hospital and is taking her Masters degree in advanced nursing practice at the University of Cumbria.

He added that they wouldn't be at all surprised if their two-year-old daughter Imelia also decides on a career in the profession.