STAFF at the Daily Echo have said farewell to one of the newspaper's longest serving reporters.
Peter East has retired after working on the newspaper for 37 years.
He joined in 1967 when it was still based at Above Bar, Southampton, and held several senior positions in the sports department.
Peter, who lives in Hythe, covered Saints when they were managed by the legendary Lawrie McMenemy and was at Wembley to see the team lift the FA Cup in 1976. In 1987 he became chief reporter at the newspaper's New Forest office - a post he held up until his retirement this week.
Dozens of colleagues gathered in the newsroom to hear Daily Echo editor Ian Murray praise Peter's hard work over the years. He said tributes had been received from senior Hampshire figures, including Mr McMenemy and Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.
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