REMARKABLE regular Bill Cox is a living legend after downing pints at his local for nearly three-quarters of a century.

Now his thirsty work has turned him into a national media celebrity!

When the Shuttle/Times and News tracked down the 92-year-old at the Queen's Head in Wolverley - not difficult since he has been popping in virtually every day since 1927 - we had to join the queue as television got a piece of the action.

"I quite like it, actually, although I did get a shock when the camera crew turned up," confessed the softly-spoken devoted drinker who this week attracted a media circus to his normally peaceful watering hole.

The frenzy started after landlord Simon Marjerie suggested Bill answer The Sun's search to find the country's most loyal pub-goer. 92-year-old Bill Cox enjoys his favourite pint at the Queen's Head in Wolverley.

The best effort until then was a modest 51 years but Bill soon put the Dorset upstart to shame.

Born and brought up in Wyre Forest, Bill, of Sebright Road, Fairfield, was rewarded for his loyalty when Banks's Brewery gave him a free pint of mild every day for the rest of his life and a plaque over his time-worn seat.

"I've always felt comfortable here," he said. "You wouldn't catch me anywhere else."

Looking at least two decades younger than his true years, Bill said: "My friends used to say to me that come 65 that would be it for me, but I've always had an active life and that didn't stop when I retired.

"You can't just stop work and stare at four walls."

The retired horticulturalist has continued gardening at home and does the housework now his wife Jessie, 93, is unable to do it.

The 10-minute walk to the pub keeps him fit too, even if he does admit to needing a breather on the steep climb back home.

And his doctor has even given him the green light to keep on drinking and smoking. "He said it's obviously not doing me any harm," said Bill, pipe and pint in hand.

Bill, who remembers paying four old pence for his pint, has cut his intake of late. "I used to have pints and spirits, everything went down," he said. "It was alright on the night, but I had a sore head in the morning!"

In total, fellow regulars estimate Bill has knocked back 62,525 pints, worth £103,000 in today's money over the years.