A journalist who has worked at the same weekly paper for 46 years will hang up his notebook next month.

Ian Austen is set to retire from the Croydon Advertiser at the end of May after first joining the paper in 1969 and a 19-year-old trainee.

During his time at the paper, he has worked in a number of roles, including chief reporter, education correspondent, news editor, political reporter and now as local government and business correspondent.

Ian is the Advertiser’s longest-serving journalist and on his 40th anniversary was presented with a framed citation from the mayor of Croydon in recognition of his long service, pictured left.

He told HTFP that his best story had been an exclusive about a Conservative councillor who had previously been involved with the IRA.

Said Ian: “I am generally a great believer in local newspapers. I think I have had the best of local newspapers in the last 40 years or so.

“I am getting to the point where the technology is moving faster than me. It becomes that little bit more difficult and editors now younger than my children but it has been a great 40 years while I have been doing it.

“I am going to miss the people that I deal with. It has been a great team at the Advertiser. I hope I can still keep my hand in occasionally, I don’t want to sit at home doing nothing.”

Advertiser editor Glenn Ebrey added:  “Ian has been through many changes at the Advertiser but, all the while, has remained a constant and passionate advocate of local Government coverage and the need to communicate the importance of town hall discussions and decisions to our readers in an accessible way.

“The other great thing about Austers, as we all affectionately know him, is that he is incredibly generous with his time and advice for younger journalists starting out.

“So many trainees have been helped along the way by Austers’ wisdom and, often, his wit too.

“He will be sorely missed but we all wish him a very happy retirement.”

The mayor’s citation, presented to Ian at a full council meeting in 2009, read: “The Worshipful the Mayor of the London Borough of Croydon Councillor Margaret Mead, JP, has resolved that this citation be presented to Mr Ian Austen.

“As a record of the council’s sincere appreciation and high regard for his unparalleled services to local journalism during the course of 40 years’ employment with the Croydon Advertiser Series.”