RADIO listeners have been mourning the demise of the Bear this week following a shake-up of local commercial radio in the Vale and Cotswolds.

Bear FM, which has broadcast to Warwickshire, Worcestershire and parts of the north Cotswolds for a number of years, is changing from next Monday to become Touch FM.

It is part of an overhaul of radio stations owned by Carlisle News (CN) in Coventry, Warwickshire and north Oxfordshire and follows the company's successful bid for the new licence to cover Warwick and Leamington last week.

But, CN promotions manager Nigel Ackroyd this week sought to reassure listeners, who tuned into Bear FM on Monday to discover that it was playing continuous music throughout the day, that the renamed station would be back on air from 8am next Monday with the breakfast show presented by new presenter Tony Murrell and drivetime favourite Louisa.

"It will still be on 102FM and there will be many of the same presenters. What they will find is that it will focus a lot more on music for the 30 to 50-year-olds. To the listeners of the Bear it won't be that much different" said Mr Ackroyd.

"CN radio took charge around four years ago. We have seen an opportunity to create a radio service that covers the whole of Warwickshire, the Cotswolds, Worcestershire and north Oxfordshire.

Mr Ackroyd said the Bear - the county symbol of Warwickshire - was the right name for the station at the time it was originally set up - but The Touch FM name will also be used to cover CN's stations in Coventry - formerly Kicks 96, its new Warwick and Leamington operation and another new station, due to launch in Banbury in February.

Each one will be transmitted through different frequencies.