A  journalist and columnist who worked for his local paper for more than four decades has filed his final piece of copy.

John Adams, who has worked with hundreds of reporters and seen seven different editors at the Comet series of newspapers in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, has retired after 46 years with the group.

He said he never relished the thought of trying to make it on the nationals – preferring instead to stick to local news.

“I just enjoyed it. Many people went to regional papers or Fleet Street, but I never did. I never fancied travelling to London every day, working all hours, being sent to Newcastle every day,” he said.

“I preferred a social life and family life, and it was only because I enjoyed the job so much I could do that as well. I wouldn’t have stayed if I didn’t enjoy the job.”

John started out working on the Home Counties Newspapers and the predecessor to the Comet, a publication called The Pictorial.

He went on to become chief reporter and then news editor for the series, now owned by Archant, which includes the Hitchin Comet, the Letchworth & Baldock Comet and the Stevenage Comet.

During his 46-year career, he said, he has seen the way the newspaper industry has changed.

Remembering what the job was like when he first started out, he said: “There weren’t a huge number of people who were actually on the phone, so you had to go out and call at houses. Sometimes you were welcome and sometimes not. More often than not, I found people welcomed you in.

John Adams and wife Judy (centre) celebrate his retirement with his Comet colleagues

“It was more face-to-face then. These days, with email and the other types of communication, you can reach people without leaving your seat. It’s a different way of working.

“We used to do two or three night jobs a week, but it became more of a social thing. I would go to council meetings, know the councillors, and have a drink with them afterwards. It became part of your life.”

He added: ““I will miss the colleagues, of course, working with people. I was lucky, I always had a very friendly crew. You hear of some people who are always bickering, but I always had a good laugh while doing the job.”

John also amused readers with his Perspective column, which he wrote for 12 years.

“I really enjoyed that. I had some lovely letters from people,” he said.

“There were always things to write about. You could take up to Wednesday morning to find it, but I always came up with something.”

Comet editor Darren Isted said John had been an “inspiration” to staff throughout their careers.

“He has been with the Comet from the very beginning and every member of staff who has worked on the paper since 1971 has worked with John. Such a record of service will never be beaten and it’s fitting someone as loyal and dedicated as John should be the man to do this,” he added.

The Comet marked John’s retirement with a party in its Stevenage office.