An electrical and lighting shop in East Ham that has been open for almost 70 years is closing its doors for good. 

M.P. Electrical Ltd in Barking Road will stop trading in December after 67 years serving the community. 

The lighting store was first opened in 1957 by English boxer and former light heavyweight champion Freddie Mills. 

The shop went from being open just three days a week in the 1980s to serving customers seven days a week. 

Additional stores were opened in Southend, Chingford, Blackheath and beyond, but all were forced to close after the recession, leaving only the East Ham branch remaining. 

Co-director of the East Ham store, Ashwin (Ash) Patel has worked for the company for 35 years after moving from the Chingford branch. 

He said: "All the way through, we've fought and carried on. 

"Unfortunately, because of the economic climate now and everything else, the overheads are too high."

The company has seen their work featured in some of London's iconic landmarks, including The Shard and The Gherkin.

Despite this, Ash said they have been contemplating closing down for the past five years as problems have continued. 

He told the Recorder that customers are sad about the shop's demise.

He said: "The store has been here for such a long time that they remember the store here from when they were little kids. 

"They are saddened to see it go. It's sort of like a community store. People still come in and have a chat to us, it's nice."

Workers in the store are even said to be known to help elderly members of the community take their shopping home when they can't manage themselves. 

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Being a part of the community and being there for the community is something that Ash believes to be the secret behind their 67 years in business. 

He said: "It's been a journey for us. It's been my life.

"We are all gutted, we really are gutted that we're closing. 

"The whole journey has been great from one end to the other. I think I've had the best times of my life here."