ONE of Bolton's best-known journalists, who has worked at the Bolton Evening News for 38 years, has retired.

Alan Calvert covered some of the town's biggest stories during his career, among them the blaze which ravaged Bolton Town Hall in 1981.

Alan began his career at the age of 16, working for the Lytham St Anne's Express and the Blackpool Gazette.

He moved to the Bolton Evening News on May 16, 1966, aged 21, and began his love affair with the town.

Alan has worked as reporter, crime reporter, deputy news editor, deputy features editor, business editor and editor of our Looking Back page.

But now, at the age of 60, Alan has decided to retire.

He said: "I have always enjoyed working at the Bolton Evening News. It has always been a good local newspaper.

"It plays an important role in local affairs and the community at large. I will miss the people I have worked with.

"I will never forget the blaze at Bolton Town Hall. I was on the newsdesk that day and I left the office at 5pm and everything was quiet.

"I had just arrived home when I got a phone call from my friend who said the Town Hall was on fire. I thought he was joking at first, but I went out and covered the story.

"I consider myself a Boltonian now, despite originally coming from Blackpool. All my friends and family live here now."

Alan plans to spend more time with his family during his retirement, but he will continue to write his weekly column,which appears every Monday.