Journalists at a regional daily have said farewell to a colleague whose career at the paper spanned five decades.

As reported by HTFP last month, Pauline Leighton left the Swindon Advertiser in November after 43 years, most recently as managing editor.

Colleagues, friends and former Advertiser journalists gathered to bid her farewell at Longs Bar in Victoria Road, Swindon, last Thursday,

A farewell piece containing tributes from former colleagues has also been published in the paper this week.

Pauline, pictured, was the paper’s longest serving journalist, having joined straight from school as an 18-year-old trainee reporter in 1973.

The mother-of-two, who worked for ten editors, has always described the paper as her “third child.”

Tom Welch, a former managing director of Newsquest Wiltshire said: “Pauline Leighton is an accomplished newspaperwoman. She has an instinctive, journalistic sense with an integrity so rarely found today.

“I recall an afternoon in the Nineties when Pauline came to my office to update me on a big local story. There was a major development and Pauline told me she wanted to publish a special, late night edition – not a decision taken lightly then or now.

“She took me through the pages currently being prepared and said she would stand by her decision on the extra edition. That edition of the Adver was published and sold out.

“Pauline has knowledge and experience which in my book equals sound judgement. I wish her well and hope the community of Swindon can continue to benefit from her skills, whatever she decides to do from now on.”

Pauline’s husband, Barry Leighton, was an Advertiser reporter in the late 70s and 80s. They have two children and an 11-month old grandson.

She has told colleagues she now plans to “take it easy for a while.”