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Editor celebrates 30 years in weekly's top job

Drew Cochrane has celebrated the 30th anniversary of his editorship of the Largs & Millport Weekly News in Ayrshire.

Drew, (52), is a former chairman of both the Guild of Editors and Society of Editors in Scotland and recalls being told at the age of 21 that he was to become editor of the News in the coastal town of Largs.

He took over the position at the age of 22 in November, 1974.

He said: “Looking back I’m amazed at being parachuted into a place I didn’t know to edit, but I’m getting the hang of it now.”

A member of the Society of Editors’ training committee, Drew said: “Most people in my community don’t have ideologies. They have families and friends and they try to live life.

”The news is edited for them. It reflects the community.”

  • Drew has put an appeal out through the Society of Editors for information on whether any other local and regional newspaper editors have produced the same paper for three decades.