ONE of Hampshire's longest serving harbourmasters is preparing to slip his moorings and sail off into retirement.

Alan Coster has worked on the Lymington River for more than 40 years and is one of the town's most familiar figures.

His final task will be to finish the Dan Bran pontoon, named after a boatbuilder whose premises were destroyed by fire in the 1960s.

Mr Coster, who lives at Walhampton, joined the river staff after a spell in the merchant navy.

Home on leave from the Union Castle line in Southampton, he applied for a job being advertised by the Lymington Harbour Commissioners and was taken on as a harbourmaster's assistant.

He was appointed harbourmaster 13 years ago following the retirement of his predecessor, Fred Woodford.

"There isn't a post or a chain that hasn't changed since I've been here," said Mr Coster.

"The final change will be the Dan Bran pontoon, which will be my goodbye to the river."

Lymington is one of the busiest sailing centres on the south coast and is packed with yachtsmen and other boat owners from Easter onwards.

Mr Coster described the position of harbourmaster as more a way of life than a job. He added: "I'll be sad to go but I lost my sister last year and my two brothers are not very well, so I thought I'd have a bit of time for myself."

Mr Coster and his wife now plan to visit their grandchildren in Northern Ireland and are also hoping to watch sailing competitions on the Solent. Mr Coster joked: "I will be able to watch the boats without having to do anything to them."

A presentation was due to be made to Mr Coster at a meeting of Lymington and Pennington Town Council today.