ONE of Bury's most respected and long-serving industrialists has retired.

Brian G. Ward has left Senior Hargreaves, the largest private sector employer in the town, after 48 years of service - 10 of them as managing director.

His entire career has been with the heating and ventilation ductwork specialist. He joined the company in 1956 from Bury Technical School and began training as an apprentice sheet metalworker.

He began working as a fitter at paper mills throughout the country and abroad. Projects he worked on include installing test systems for the prototype Concorde and work on a prototype nuclear reactor.

Since 1978, Mr Ward has remained at Bury, working his way up from contracts administration to managing director. He will continue to be a governor of Bury College and retain his directorships of the North Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Bolton/Bury Chamber and Alliance Learning.

He also intends to spend more time fundraising for charity.