LIVING in a town where the River Severn flows through provides ample opportunities for boating enthusiasts, but there are few who can have done as much for others as Arthur Page.

The 69-year-old is retiring as the organiser and skipper of the Stourport based charity boat Charmaine after five years.

He has managed boat trips nationwide for the elderly, disabled and children but Mr Page, of Lion Hill, is again thinking of others by ending the charity trips he runs voluntarily to care for wife Audrey, and desperately hopes his good work can be continued.

He said: ''It's regrettable because I've had an extremely enjoyable time, but with my wife's increasing disability and my own health problems as we both approach 70, I feel I can't go on as skipper.''

An indication of his success on the boat is the 52 trips he has been in charge of this year compared to 14 when he took charge of it in 1994.

Mr Page said: ''I found Charmaine as soon as I moved here in 1994 and it was working but was in a bad way.''

One of his final flings was a visit to last month's National Waterways Festival in Worcester.

Mr Page said: ''It was very successful as we had a constant stream of visitors to the boat and we handed out about 100 leaflets about Charmaine's work over the four days.

Gloucester-born Mr Page was previously a science and technology teacher for 23 years in Canterbury.

His boating interest developed when he was introduced to a project in Kent but it really blossomed with his move to Stourport.

Mr Page said: ''My wife's family live here and with my interest in boating I fell in love with Stourport. With the boats and the canals I thought I was in the ideal place.''

Mr Page hopes Charmaine's future will be secured. He said: ''I have been giving slide lectures to Stourport Rotary, Business Association, Marina and Yacht Club, and hoped a management committee can be formed.

''They would make an offer to the Plynlinon Trust owners and we hope to have a decision on this before the next cruises begin in May.''

Boating trips are joyous occasions for Mr Page, who finds greatest satisfaction from the reaction of his trippers.

He said: ''At the end of the day people tell me how enjoyable the day has been and it is nice to know I have put a smile on their faces.

''I have even had letters and pictures of thanks from children and elderly people.

''As long as Charmaine continues to run in the future I would love to be invited back as skipper for the day.''