A special lunch has been held by the Mayor of Richmond to mark the retirement of editor Malcolm Richards later this month.

Malcolm, (65), has edited the Richmond & Twickenham Times for the past 27 years and is thought to be the longest serving regional newspaper editor in England.

Cllr Douglas Orchard held the special lunch in the Mayor's Parlour, where he congratulated Malcolm on his length of service and praised the way the papers had flourished under his editorship and served the community well.

Also present at the lunch were Sir Peter and Lady Harrop, Times picture editor David Allen, the Mayoress Lynette Orchard and Malcolm's successor, Paul Mortimer.