STRAIGHT-TALKING MP Terry Lewis will step down at the next general election after 20 years at Westminster.

The Worsley MP, now aged 67 and recently diagnosed as diabetic, had always intended to retire at 65, but after serving a first term of Labour government decided to stay on of representing the constituents of Astley, Tyldesley, Bedford and Hindsford.

He had hoped a second period in office might mean MPs of the Old Labour school would have more input.

But Terry, a man of peace and founder member of Bolton CND, is still delighted to be serving his 69,000 constituents.

Represent

"I love the work and I can still do a bit of good. I'm glad to be doing it. It's a smashing place to represent," he said.

But life is not simple for the MP representing the Worsley constituency which is split between two authorities, covering four wards in Salford and three in Wigan.

"It means you have to stay on your toes all the time," said Terry, whose seven year fight against premium rate telephone services in the 1980s and 90s brought him to national fame.

Delighted that the battle did make a difference and that he was responsible for the setting up of the independent body which supervises the services, he believes he could have done better if he had had the help that is available to MPs today.

Terry said: "It was a David v Goliath situation, me and my secretary against the might of the telecom companies. The fight was exciting, but if we had had more resources I believe we could have nipped in the bud the child pornography that is on the Internet today. That disappoints me."

Terry, who admits he doesn't suffer fools gladly, is proud of the fact that he brought hundreds of jobs to his constituency after convincing ministers to link the idle Irlam Steelworks to development at Trafford Park.

Terry also has a lighter claim to fame -- as a pioneer of mobile advertising.

Following his election in June 1983 he bought a caravan to tow round the area to use for surgeries, but it proved less of a success than expected. Converted into a huge double billboard it was blown over on a motorway!

Motorway

In 1987 while driving the billboard containing Christmas messages from Astley to Irlam the thing was blown over on the motorway.

Terry said: "Thankfully there were running boards we could stand on to keep it balanced."

The former Bolton councillor and personnel manager continues to enjoy life in the corridors of power "getting on" with fellow MPs of all parties.

He admits to a liking for former Tory PM John Major who has an office near his own.

"We have lots of 'discussions' about Chelsea and Manchester United," he said.

Though he has announced his departure the MP, who admits to a fondness for Gin Pit village, is still looking forward to the term time he has left.