Former Dover Mercury chief reporter Graham Tutthill has been made an honorary freeman of the town.

Dover town councillors unanimously voted to award the honour to Graham, who retired in November.

Graham spent 48 years reporting, the last 40 of those with the Mercury.

Dover Mayor Ronnie Philpott telephoned him at his River home yesterday to give him the good news.

Graham said: “I am very surprised and honoured to be invited to become an Honorary Freeman of Dover.

“Having been born here and lived and worked here all my life, I am obviously very enthusiastic about Dover." - Graham Tutthill

“Having been born here and lived and worked here all my life, I am obviously very enthusiastic about Dover and I think that despite its various problems, the town has many attractions and has great potential.”

Apart from reporting on Dover, Graham has always got involved with the community. He ran a church youth club for many years, and has been involved with the Girls Venture Corps, 69 Motorcycle Club, League of Friends of Dover Hospitals, Gateway Hospital Broadcasting Service, Dover Committee of Trinity College of Music and the Crabble Corn Mill Trust.

Graham began his journalism career at the Dover Express in 1965, joining the Mercury in 1973. He became chief reporter of the Dover Mercury when the paper was launched in 1998.

Graham’s career included covering all the major stories to affect Dover during that time, including the Crypt fire in 1977, the hovercraft crash at the harbour in 1985 and the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster in 1987.

Graham said: “I enjoyed my career as a journalist, writing about Dover, it’s people and activities for 48 years and I feel very humbled that the Mayor and the town council have decided to bestow this honour upon me.

“I am very grateful to them, and to those who nominated me and supported my nomination.

“I look forward to playing my part in the future of the town.”

The award will be presented to Graham on May 15.

Read the full report in next week's Mercury, out on May 1.