Bruce Parker, BBC South's political editor and presenter of South of Westminster, has announced his retirement.

Bruce, 61, who started with the BBC 38 years ago said: "I'm almost ashamed to say that I've enjoyed every minute of every hour of every day in this job. Of course, I'll have regrets giving it all up but I reckon nothing is for ever and there's a time to call it a day.

"BBC South launches a new political programme in January so this is a convenient time to hand over to someone else. I've always loved the BBC as it stands for standards. I just hope I've managed to live up to them."

The very first event he covered after joining the BBC in the South was the final departure to New York of the RMS Queen Mary.

"It was quite an event", recalls Bruce, "it seemed the entire population of the city had turned out."

Bruce started presenting BBC South Today in 1967 with Clive Jacobs and continued into the 1970s until Clive left for a job in London.

Bruce continued into the '80s and '90s and along the way gained the title of BBC South's 'elder-statesman'. In the '80s Bruce was joined on screen by Jenni Murray and later Debbie Thrower.

In the early '90s he moved on to present the region's flagship political programme, South of Westminster.