5,500 and out: Newcastle declarations clerk hangs up his pen after six decades

Newcastle racecourse will bid farewell to the remarkable Brian Towns, who has been involved in the racing industry since before Lester Piggott was champion jockey, after Friday's fixture at Gosforth Park.

Towns, 77, is retiring after working in the sport for six decades, mainly as declarations clerk around several northern courses, and the last of his estimated 5,500 days on the course will be marked by a presentation during racing.

"He must be the longest serving person on the racetracks that I know of," said Newcastle raceday presenter Paul Clarkson.

"It is a hell of a long time. Every trainer and anyone who goes in the weighing room will know Brian. He's a great character and he'll be sorely missed. He does a great job and he's very friendly and easy to chat to."

Towns, who is approaching 80, has also worked at Carlisle, Catterick, Thirsk, Sedgefield and Hexham – where a race was named in his honour to mark his retirement in 2017.

He now works solely at his local course, but the keen Newcastle United supporter is ready to hang up his pen.

Explaining how Towns got into racing, Clarkson said: "He worked for an accountancy firm who used to come into courses on racedays and do various jobs.

"Brian tells me he started in 1959 – he estimated he had done about 5,500 racedays. I've been doing this job for 30-odd years and he's been a permanent fixture. He did other jobs but he been decs clerk for more than 50 years."

Newcastle clerk of the course James Armstrong added: "Brian is a stalwart of the weighing room. He hasn't missed many days over the years and everyone knows him. He'll be a big miss."

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