An editor who has led a Scottish weekly for the last decade will leave the paper tomorrow after 37 years in journalism.

Alan Ducat has led the Brechin Advertiser for the last ten years after a career in journalism which started in 1975, when he became a junior reporter with the Forfar Dispatch.

Since then he worked his way up to editor of the Dispatch, later becoming editor of the Kirriemuir Herald then the Brechin Advertiser.

Alan will leave the title tomorrow and told readers he is unsure what he will do next, as he is a number of years off retirement.

In an article about his departure, Alan wrote about the changes in the industry over the last four decades, which have seen full colour editions and computers brought in.

He said: “Now part of the Johnston Press group, the Brechiner continues to play a leading role in the community, embracing new technology to bring you the news as and when it happens.

“Reflecting over 37 roller-coaster years in a career that threw up something different practically every day, I will leave with countless happy memories, and a sense of achievement in a number of areas.

“Throughout my time I have had an awful lot of help from an awful lot of people, working with an awful lot of groups and organisations and I would like to thank them all for their much-appreciated support.”

He also reflected on the death of the Advertiser’s chief reporter Steve Mitchell, who died last year at the age of 42, saying he would continue to remember him.

Alan added: “I may no longer be at the helm, but the Brechiner will, I am sure, continue to be an integral part of community life for many years to come.

“As for my immediate future, I really haven’t given it a great deal of thought. First up will be a long holiday – and I’ll take things from there, given the fact that I still have a fair few years to go to retirement!”