A FORMER Weston Mercury reporter, turned television and radio star, will be broadcasting live from his home town on Monday.

A FORMER Weston Mercury reporter, turned television and radio star, will be broadcasting live from his home town on Monday.

BBC Radio Bristol presenter Richard Wyatt will be helping to launch a new frequency for the station's transmission to the area.

He will be broadcasting his well-loved breakfast programme from the Royal Hotel in South Parade from 6-9am and then the Sovereign Shopping Centre from 10am-1pm.

BBC Radio Bristol's frequency for Weston will change to 103.6 FM from Monday, via a new transmitter in Hutton.

Richard, who is best known for his many years on HTV's news programme, began his career at the Weston Mercury offices in Waterloo Street in 1965 on a five-year apprenticeship.

There he gained his National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) certificates before moving on to Radio Bristol and Radio Brighton. In 1972 he joined HTV as their youngest reporter.

In 2002 Richard turned freelance before taking a year off to take an MA in art history with the Open University.

In September he returned to Radio Bristol to present the breakfast show.

The former Uphill Secondary Modern School pupil, who was born in Weston and also lived in Uphill and Worle, said: "I remember starting off at the Weston Mercury learning shorthand, law and local government. That is where I learnt how to really write a story.

"I defend Weston to the hilt and with the bracing sea on a sunny day it is a lovely place to be.

"I am really looking forward to meeting up with our listeners in Weston. It is funny how things come around in a circle."

The Salvation Army will also be joining the BBC Radio Bristol team at the Sovereign Shopping Centre on Monday to collect toys for its Christmas gifts appeal.