HEAR ye, hear ye. A well-known Bury newsagent is heading off for a new life in France!

Alan Phillips, owner of the Town Crier, is saying au revoir to Lancashire after nearly seven years of making sure local folk got their Bury Times.

With his wife Carol and daughter Tina he has run the shop situated in the heart of Bury at the junction of Market Street and The Rock.

They used to have a newsagent's shop in Jericho, before opening the Holden Arms, a pub restaurant, in Haslingden, and then moving into Bury. Alan, who admits to being 50-ish, plans to buy a hotel in South West France once they have sold their house in Walshaw.

"I had a heart attack less than three years ago, so I'm looking for an easier life, plus the cheap wine, the food, a bit of sun!" he said, before closing the doors for the last time on Saturday (May 26).

"We've really enjoyed it and made a lot of good friends here. David Chaytor came in to wish me all the best.

"I'll be sad to leave Bury but I'm looking forward to a new life."

Alan's big claim to fame is that he was the man who brought Bury rock to the town, much to the pleasure of the Queen Mother.

He sent her a package of the rock on her 95th birthday, and was delighted to be told she thoroughly enjoyed it, although it could nearly have been very different.

"I got a phone call in the shop from someone saying they were from Clarence House," recalls Alan. "I didn't believe them, and told them to hang on a minute because I had a queue of customers!"