A VETERAN firefighter is hanging up his hat after 32 years of service.
Deputy chief fire officer Mick Thompson, from Yarm, will bid a final farewell to the Cleveland brigade tomorrow.
He started work with the then Teesside Brigade in April 1968, becoming a fire safety specialist for six years.
By 1996, he had been promoted through the ranks to assistant chief officer, and was upgraded to deputy chief officer a year later.
John Doyle, Cleveland's chief fire officer, last night paid tribute to the father-of-two.
He said: "Mick is a highly respected officer who was instrumental in steering the brigade into the 21st Century as an innovative organisation, constantly changing to meet the challenges we face.
"All members of Cleveland Fire Authority and the brigade wish him well in his retirement.
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