A COUNCIL manager with a record as one of the fastest vote counters in the country has retired.

During general elections in 1983 and 1987 Ray Hudson acted as Pendle's electoral registration officer and both times the borough was one of the first five constituencies in the country to return its votes.

Now Mr Hudson can afford to take things a little easier after retiring after more than 30 years in local government.

He has a number of hobbies, including rambling, fly fishing, DiY and gardening.

He is a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and is regularly out "twitching" in the local countryside.

Mr Hudson began working life as a bank clerk at the TSB in 1959, before joining Blackburn Council as an electoral registration assistant in 1963. In 1966 he moved to the London borough of Redbridge, before joining Greenwich.

In 1974 he moved back north to Pendle Council to become electoral registrations officer. Four years ago he was promoted to office manager in the council's democratic and legal services department.

He married Pat in 1985 and the couple live in Higherford. Mr Hudson has four grown-up children from a previous marriage.

He is a member of David Street WMC in Barrowford and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

Mr Hudson was presented with a mahogany dining suite in recognition of his long and dedicated service.

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