THREE veterans who have each spent more than a quarter of a century working for the town they love have been made Honorary Townsmen of Leominster.

Alec Haines, Molly Cooke and Peter McCaull are all past mayors of the town. They each gained the award for putting in more than 25 years service on Leominster Town Council.

Attending to town council business was only part of a demanding lifestyle that few among the younger generations would contemplate today.

Service

All three also served on the former Leominster District Council and in a host of other voluntary roles.

l Molly Cooke, who has just been re-elected to serve another term on the town council, is beginning her 28th year. She has received the award with pride - and with a plea.

"Our generation can't go on forever, but few younger people are coming forward to serve on the town council and in other community roles.

"The future belongs to them and I would appeal to the younger generation - 'come and take over the reins."

Currently, Molly is busy bringing the Leominster Millennium Clock project to fruition after frustrating delays. The novelty clock will be mounted on a wall on the west side of Corn Square very soon.

l Peter McCaull was a long-serving Scouts district chairman, youth club chairman and a member of county and regional housing bodies on top of his council commitments. "Looking back, I wonder how I managed to get round to everything, but you do it somehow," said Peter.

He is out of the limelight now but is fondly remembered as Leominster's 'sheep shearing mayor'. He deftly removed the fleeces of 100 sheep - in public - at a fundraising event for the Cheltenham cancer unit. It was an impressive feat for a man who worked as a financial consultant, though Peter is no stranger to the farming world.

l Alec Haines, three times mayor, and a long-serving president of Leominster Civic Trust, has taken pride in a fierce independence and pities those who must 'follow a party line'.

He sees his greatest achievement as helping to save the forerunner of the town's community hospital, Leominster Cottage Hospital, from closure.

Alec is an author and history buff who tried to ensure that a sense of history plays a part in decision-making for the modern era.

He made sure new developments and streets were given locally historic names.