Former North Bradley Parish Council clerk Anne Bass is looking forward to having more time to put her feet up after retiring from her job.

Mrs Bass, 70, left after 13 years at the centre of village life as the parish clerk.

Originally from Surrey, she moved to the village in the late 1960s when her late husband started work on the West Wilts Trading Estate.

She took up the post of clerk in 1996. She said: “I understood that there was a vacancy and I applied because I knew the village so well. I knew most of the people on the parish council and decided that it was something I would quite like to do.

“I was nearing retirement age and I wanted something else to do.

“But I never expected to be there that many years. I’ve enjoyed my time with the parish council and enjoyed the work.

“It’s been interesting but I decided that I’m in my 70s and it’s time to take a bit of a rest.”

One of the highlights of her time came when the council took over the drains on the Malthouse estate from Wessex Water.

“That was quite a battle with Wessex Water and we had quite a fight to get that passed,” she said.

Another highlight was getting a pedestrian crossing outside North Bradley Primary School in Southwick Road.

She now plans to take life easier and is going on a trip to Canada with her partner later this year.

The new parish council clerk is Judy Lane.