A journalist has said farewell to a weekly newspaper after a more than 70-year association with the title.

Ron Allison, who is almost 90, has written his last column for the Hampshire Chronicle.

Ron, pictured, first worked for the Winchester-based Chronicle at the age of 18 and went on to a journalism and public relations career during which he served as press secretary to Her Majesty The Queen.

In his farewell piece, he told readers it was time “to say goodbye to you and this column”.

Ron wrote: “I have enjoyed a long and happy association with the Hampshire Chronicle since I was 18-years-old. My first job was taking the names of mourners at funerals, which is what we did in those days.

“There were two local papers in Winchester then, and after every service the two reporters with note books crammed with names, went back to the Black Swann coffee shop. We swapped our lists to make absolutely certain that not one single name was missed.

“The next stage of my development was to attend the meetings of local council committees which were busy deciding such important matters as where the lamp posts should be on any given street.

“When the time came for me to leave the Chronicle I transferred to the BBC West region based in Southampton where I worked initially in radio.

“My time there was very largely spent in interviewing the famous stars who crossed the Atlantic by sea. Before too long I was reporting and broadcasting live national television news.”

Ron added his work at the Chronicle “led to a wonderful, varied and happy career in journalism, broadcasting and writing”.

He wrote: “This culminated in my role as press secretary to Her Majesty The Queen.

“I would urge any young person seeking a career in media to take up opportunities on their local newspapers.

“At almost 90 years of age I am proud to say I had this wonderful column and many happy memories of working on this newspaper.

“I wish you all fond farewell and please continue to support our Hampshire Chronicle. Thank you.”

In an accompanying note, Chronicle editor Bill Browne said: “We would like to place on public record our gratitude to Ron for his service to the Chronicle from his teenage years to his column in recent times.

“It has been a privilege to publish his writing and we wish him all the best for the future.”