FRIDAY, July 18, will mark the end of an era. Power FM's madcap Maximum Bob is retiring from the world of radio and wacky stunts.

His spot on the weekday morning breakfast show hosted by Rick Jackson and Rachel Brookes has won him an army of fans and made his name well known in the south.

Now Bob (born Bob Diggles) is moving to Plymouth in Devon with fiancee Jo Preston, 28, who is a marine biologist.

They have a wedding date set for May 1. Bob is going to be giving radio a break as he fancies working outdoors - a landscape gardener's assistant is one of his suggestions.

For listeners despairing at the thought of life without Bob Power FM is launching a search for a wannabe street boy (or girl).

The search starts tomorrow at Cams Hall Golf Club in Fareham at an open audition judged by Rachel Brookes, Rick Jackson, Maximum Bob and programme controller Stuart Davies.

Rick Jackson said: "We aren't looking for another Bob. We want a completely different character.

"We want people to turn up with their own name and to perform a task that we set them.

"They don't need any previous radio experience, but they do need to be extrovert. They have to be able to paint a picture of what they are experiencing when they are out there. They have to be able to bring it to life.

"There is no upper age limit but they must be over 18. It will be refreshing to get someone who isn't from a radio background and who is a local person.

"Each day we will be picking five people to go forward to the next round."

Fifteen contenders will go to Southampton Balloon and Flower Festival where the final five will be announced.

The following week listeners will vote for their favourite.

The winner will get a six-month contract to be the station's new street boy.

"Bob will be helping the new person for the first week so they won't be totally thrown in at the deep end," said Rick.

Rachel Brookes said she had met a businessman who was planning to audition.

Rick added: "Even my neighbour stopped me the other day and said he wanted to audition for the job. Everyone seems to be swept up in the excitement of the auditions."

Maximum Bob's role has never been an easy one. As well as the 5am starts there are the wacky and usually humiliating stunts.

From running the London Marathon to linedancing at EuroDisney in Paris, Bob has done it all.

Bob, 27, said: "Last summer I tested the sea each day see if it was warm enough to go swimming.

"During the winter someone had said that the sea temperature was nine degrees whereas the temperature outside was minus four degrees, so I went out to Southsea to see if it was true. Believe me, it wasn't.

"Another time I went knocking on people's doors wearing just a towel - to see if I could get a shower in their house.

"I've glued £5 notes on the pavement, hidden, and then jump out on people who were trying to pick them up.

"I've also gone up with an aerobatics display team, gone off-road 4x4 driving and done a 200ft abseil.

"I think my proudest moment was recently when I swam the Solent from Ryde Pier on the Island to Stokes Bay Sailing Club in Gosport."

How did Yorkshire man Bob get involved in radio?

While he was at university in Birmingham studying sports science, he joined the university radio unit, hospital radio and then a job at Birmingham's Galaxy station.

He has been with Power FM for two years. One of his favourite slots has been his Bob-a-job section where he completes the first hour of someone's job.

He's been a doughnut maker, worked in a sandwich shop, an Italian restaurant where he made pizzas and he even had to don a dress to work in a travel agency.

He has a few tips for candidates.

"The new street boy will have to make things interesting for listeners," he said.

"There is no point in doing a report from a rollercoaster and screaming all the way round. It doesn't make good radio. You need to be describing what is happening all the way and how you are feeling.

"The winner must be up for anything and not afraid to face a challenge."

Auditions will be held at the following locations: 25th June - Cams Hall Golf Club, Fareham; 26th June - Portsmouth Hilton and Livingwell Health Club; 27th June - Southampton Hilton and Livingwell Health Club.