A DRAINAGE engineer who has clocked up more than a half-century with Bradford Council is retiring at the age of 70.

Tony Poole (pictured), originally from Normanton, Wakefield, started work at the Council in 1966, the same year England beat Germany to win the World Cup and The Beatles released their LP record Revolver.

He said he had enjoyed his time working in Bradford, saying: “I’ve become very fond of the place and feel that it has had a bad press for far too long.”

Mr Poole is currently the authority’s second longest-serving officer and before he retires, on April 4, he is planning to take his colleagues out for a farewell meal.

His boss, Julian Jackson, said: “Tony has been an absolute stalwart of our team for a long time and he will be sorely missed when he goes.

“I really hope that he enjoys his retirement which after 50 years of hard work, is well deserved.”