ONE of Worcester's most recognisable faces is stepping down from the city council next year - after 34 years serving the people.

Councillor Derek Prodger - a former Mayor of Worcester who has held a whole raft of high-profile positions - is retiring from the Guildhall after an unbroken spell dating back to 1982.

The veteran Conservative, who is 79, has spoken of his great pride at the role, saying he has "loved the job and loved working for the people of Worcester".

Your Worcester News can reveal how Councillor Prodger, who currently chairs the fire authority, intends to stay on at Worcestershire County Council and will seek re-election there in 2017.

But his days at Worcester City Council will end at the local elections in May, with the father-of-one saying he was "privileged" to do it so long.

Some of his jobs have included chairman of the planning committee, leisure services chief, cabinet member for the environment and city mayor in 1998/99.

He was chairman of the old Hereford and Worcester County Council for two years in the mid-1990s before the last local government re-organisation, and was County Hall's cabinet member for transport from 2006 to 2011.

"I love this city a great deal, Worcester is one of the country's most beautiful historic cities and I've been privileged to do this for so long," he said.

"I've loved the job and loved working for the people of Worcester - I got into it because I'm Worcester born and bred and wanted to get involved in the city's decision making.

"It's not easy making decisions and you can't get everything right, but what you can do is endeavour to do your best."

He said some of his favourite memories include the launch of the £2 million Diglis footbridge, which opened to much fanfare in 2010, and the new street furniture around the city as well as helping save the threatened demolition of some buildings in Castle Street.

"I was so very proud of that footbridge at Diglis, it was so hard to get the money but we did it," he said.

"It remember when it was being built going down there every single day to see how it was going. It meant a lot to me."

It means a Conservative vacancy has opened up in the Bedwardine seat for next May, a Tory stronghold.

Councillor Prodger served three years in the Royal Air Force in the early 1960s before launching his own construction, painting and decorating business which he ran until 1994.

He also has an MBE for his work on the War Pensions Committee, which makes sure war pensioners get help to buy aids and appliances they might need, for example wheelchairs.