A LONG-serving councillor has been given the honorary title of freeman of the parish to mark his work for the community.

Graham Murray has been a parish councillor in Newnham for 25 years.

To mark the occasion he was declared a freeman of the parish with a presentation at The Club in the village.

He joined Newnham Parish Council in April 1993 and has served continuously since then in the voluntary role.

Clerk to the council Dave Tingle said: “He has seen off six chairmen and six clerks over those years.

“His enthusiasm and commitment is total and as strong today as it was when he joined in 1993.”

Cllr Murray first came to the Forest on holiday in 1952 with his girlfriend Betty – who has been his wife for 64 years.

They stayed with his grandparents on the Haie Estate near Newnham where his grandfather was gamekeeper for the Kerr family.

Cllr Murray moved to the Forest from Letchworth in Hertfordshire with his wife in 1969 and has lived in Newnham since 1991.

Despite working at Rank Xerox as an inspector for many years, he says the least likeable part of being a parish councillor is having to deal with modern technology.

Now in his early 80s, he says the best part of the ‘job’ remains helping people.

Cllr Murray was also a special policeman for 14 years and served as a sergeant at Coleford after transferring from Hertfordshire.

He is also a keen stamp collector, walker and gardener.