Production editor Nigel Fisher is celebrating a quarter of a century of service to Grimsby and Scunthorpe Newspapers as part of a journalistic career which has spanned more than 30 years.

Nigel, (48), started his training at Richmond College in Sheffield, while working in the public relations department of the former British Steel Corporation helping produce the Scunthorpe edition of Steel News.

After a five-year spell with British Steel, Nigel joined the Lincolnshire Times, in his home town of Brigg.

On his first day he was sent out to cover a Brigg Town Council meeting and, he recalled, the topics under discussion included the recreation ground and the railway station.

"And they are still topics being discussed 25 years later," he joked.

In 1984, he joined the Scunthorpe Telegraph's sports department.

Later he became a sub-editor before being appointed deputy news editor and then, 10 years ago, he adopted the role of production editor.

He is responsible for making sure everything is printed on time and also puts together a number of special publications including Railway Bygones, Steel Town and several local school newspapers.

He also sub-edits the weekly Drive and Property supplements, as well as the Scunthorpe Target, and writes the regular Heard on Brigg Streets and In A Spin columns.

Nigel said: "A lot of us still remember hot-metal type-setting, but there have been many changes down the years culminating in the current hi-tech systems.

"Now you can sit down every day and watch the pictures and stories about major topics of the day arrive on your screen in minutes."

Nigel also makes a twice yearly trip back to the Sheffield college as an assessor for the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

"Those of us who undertook our own training there are trying to put something back into the profession and encourage young people coming into the business," said Nigel.

Paying tribute to Nigel's length of service, Scunthorpe Telegraph editor Jon Grubb said: "Nigel is a valued member of the staff and we all congratulate him on his 25th anniversary with us.

"This is an achievement since there are few people, these days, who can claim that kind of working record."