The editorial director of a regional daily and its weekly sister titles is bowing out of journalism after a 41-year career – 26 of them as an editor.

Colin Grant, left, had two spells in charge of the Cambridge News, first as editor from 1998 until 2004 before returning as editor-in-chief in 2008.

He also edited the then Northants Evening Telegraph in the early 1990s and also had a spell in charge of journalism training for Emap.

Colin is now taking early retirement from his role as editorial director at Iliffe News & Media East and leaves the company today.

He began his journalistic career as a trainee reporter with the Middlesex County Times in West London in the early seventies and became sports editor at the age of just 21.

His first editor role was with the now defunct North Herts Gazette in Hitchin in the mid-1980s before his move to Kettering in 1990.

Said Colin:  “It really has been a fantastic career, covering numerous big stories, working on some excellent newspapers and, most of all, alongside some first-class journalists.

“After spending all of my 41 years of working life in the regional press I am sure that I will miss that day-to-day involvement but I feel the time is right to step aside and I wish those I am leaving behind at Cambridge and in Herts & Essex every future success.”

During his time at Cambridge, Colin received an honorary degree from Anglia Ruskin University for his services to the community and earlier this year was one of a handful of people from the area to be presented to The Queen at her Diamond Jubilee Picnic at Burghley House.

David Fordham, chief executive of Iliffe News & Media, said: “I would like to thank Colin for the tremendous contribution he has made to the company over the past 14 years.

“He has made a significant contribution both to the management team within our organisation and also as an ambassador of the newspapers within the communities in which we publish.”