BINGO club boss Bill Richardson was guaranteed a full house of wellwishers yesterday when he retired after more than four decades in the business.

The 71-year-old said a fond farewell to friends and colleagues at the Top Ten club, in Eldon Street, Darlington - 41 years after he first sampled life at a bingo hall.

Mr Richardson, who lives in Washington, Wearside, began work in shipbuilding.

But he boosted his income by becoming a part-time doorman at Mason's Bingo Club, in Southwick, Sunderland, and decided to stick with the industry when shipbuilding went into decline. He went on to become a manager in Consett and Durham, before he moved to Darlington.

In 2000, his late wife was taken ill and he became semi-retired, but was asked to return shortly before the Mason organisation was bought by Top Ten.

He said: "I shall be sorry to leave bingo, but I have got plenty to keep me occupied.

"I still play table tennis once a week, I am involved with church activities and I have got three teenage grandchildren to help me stay young at heart."