Jill James, the Surrey Comet's first woman assistant editor, reminisces on Comet life 25 years ago:

There are more characters per square foot in the world of journalism than almost any other job. At least that was the conclusion I reached 25 years or so ago when I had the honour of being the Surrey Comet's new deputy editor.

I spent five years on the paper, which then had the proud boast on its masthead “Owned, printed and published in Kingston for 125 years”. I would not have swopped my time on the newspaper for all the tea in China .

I remember with pride being made assistant editor at the Comet. The managing editor was Gilbert Jenkins, holder of the Military Cross, a staunch supporter of Steadfast Sea Cadets and a journalist to his toenails.

He was followed by Tony Thomas, who went on to have a career with a larger local newspaper group. The editor was David Wilson, an incredibly energetic and enthusiastic Yorkshireman who stayed in local journalism for most of his working life. He was Fleet Street's loss.

So too were other characters on the paper: Mike Hains, the Goole-born chief reporter who chainsmoked his way through the day reporting the travails of Kingston Council. John Vivian, the chief sub, a Welshman who called a spade a shovel but who is without doubt one of the finest journalists I have ever worked with. A love of newspapers and rugby football characterised his life.

June Sampson, who needs no introduction to Comet regulars, was in her magnificent prime then. She almost single-handedly saved huge chunks of Kingston 's history for posterity. Her writing was always top-class, thoroughly readable and she always managed some local scoop or other on a subject dear to Kingstonian hearts.

Our show business writer was Hilton Tims, the former Evening News opera critic and Daily Mail diarist. A talented and dedicated writer we all breathed a sigh of relief when he took over from Jack Allcock, a legend in everyone's lunchtime on the Comet.

I have never encountered, in 35 years in journalism, a more cantankerous, difficult, objectionable and pugnacious man than Jack Allcock. Conversely, he was also one of the wittiest and best raconteurs you could hope to meet.

Many a lunchhour was long extended in the back bar of the Griffin hotel, our local watering hole, as Jack regaled us with tales of his youth.

“I was the fastest schoolboy in the country” he used to say. But at what we never knew. He loved the world of theatre and probably should have been an actor. I shall never forget his tirade on being told that retirement beckoned - he was 65 at the time - and we were accused of axing him “at the height of my powers.” As if to demonstrate, he hired the upstairs room at the Lamb and Flag pub in Covent garden and performed the play the Good Soldier Schweik single-handedly. At one time I was not only news editing the paper but was also the journalists' union representative, glorying in the title Father of the Chapel. The managing editor seemed unduly concerned that I might want to be called Mother of the Chapel and seemed relieved when I decided to carry on with the title Father since I thought Mother sounded even more bizarre.

At that time in Kingston the Conservative party had a mojority of 40-1 on the local council. They were led by Tony Knowls and Angela Rumbold who went on to have strong political careers. I was famously called the “ringleader of a gang of trouble makers” for efforts to publicise some local council injustice. In fact we had quite a campaigning tone in those days. I remember the paper being roundly criticised at various times by all three political parties - a sure sign that we were doing our job properly. I hope the paper maintains a challenging stance today.

One last thought for any youngsters who plan to go in to journalism.

On my current paper, the Financial Times, journalists are recruited straight from university, mainly Oxbridge, as it happens. They are, of course, all very bright. But I feel sorry for them. Their mistakes are made under national scrutiny and they have never experienced the fun and cameraderie taken for granted on a local newspaper.

I would plead with any graduate thinking of journalism as a career: spend a few years on local newspapers. You'll learn about courts, councils, the way government works, about local organisations, meet local characters as well as top politicans, businessmen and celebrities all in the course of an ordinary working week. It's a world away from the bad habits and goldfish bowl mentality that characterise Fleet Street. You'll get back far more than you ever put in.