Brian Vertigen stood down as editor-in-chief of the Burton Mail yesterday, handing over the reins to his successor Paul Hazeldine.

But before he retired, Brian said a special “goodbye” in the Mail to the readers he has kept informed during the past 16 years.

He wrote: “I have enjoyed editing this paper for the past 16 years or so.

“We have had some good times, some memorable times, and some not-so-happy stories to report.

“But as they say, all good things have to come to an end, and I decided just over a year ago that 40 years in evening paper journalism was long enough.

“As I head off to my new life – it will not be total retirement – I thank you for your indulgence of my weekly scribblings over the years and the support you have given me and the rest of the team here.

“Without it my job would have been nigh on impossible.”

He also took time to remember some of the events and personalities that made the headlines during his time in charge.

Brian began his newspaper career at the Solihull News before moving to the Coventry Evening Telegraph and Birmingham Post & Mail, before transferring to the Burton Mail.

His successor has edited weekly titles in Manchester and Staffordshire before moving to The Sun in 1986 where he worked for four years before embarking on a number of other projects, returning in 1993.

Most recently he was involved in the launch of the paper’s Saturday TV magazine.

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