RAISING a glass to his friends and former colleagues back in Worcester is an "exile" of the Faithful City, who has been living in Canada, for about 20 years.

He's Clifford Hughson, who worked at the Worcester Evening News & Times for more than 36 years and retired in 1972, as foreman of the machine room.

Cliff will celebrate his 95th birthday on Thursday, March 22, this year, and I'm sure all those who knew him in Worcester, myself among them, return his good wishes which were sent via Tony Woollam of Battenhall, Worcester. Tony is a former reporter colleague of mine on the Evening News.

Cliff Hughson came from Wales and was a leading rugby player in Worcester, during the 1930s, playing as a second row forward and also at full back and scrum half.

His home for many years was in Ransom Avenue, off Bath Road, Worcester, but when his wife died in the 1970s, he emigrated to Canada, where his son, Clifford junior and daughter Edith were already living. His home is now in Calgary.