AFTER 40 years' helping rangers in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, voluntary warden Rick Spicer has decided to hang up his boots.

Rick, from Letterston, has been volunteering in the north-west of the National Park since he was enlisted by park wardens in 1971, when he was working as the warden at Pwll Deri Youth Hostel.

One of Rick's last jobs has been among the more unusual tasks he's been given. He has been helping the artist-in-residence at the Park Authority's Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre to create artwork using jigsaw puzzles.

Mimi Joung, who has just come to the end of her three-month residency, took on Rick - a puzzle fanatic - to help her complete lots of jigsaws which she then split into sections and combined to create one large landscape artwork.

Ian Meopham, north-west senior ranger, worked with Rick for 16 years. He said: "One of the lovely things about being a voluntary warden, as so many of ours tell us, is the variety of work. So as people go through their period of volunteering, the jobs they are able to do will change. So when Rick first started he might have been humping around huge pieces of National Park furniture for the Coast Path, and for this last job he has thoroughly enjoyed helping Mimi to create her artwork."

Chief executive of the Park Authority, Tegryn Jones, added: "It is obviously very rare for anyone to work for the National Park Authority for this length of time, let alone someone who is unpaid to do so.

"So I would like to thank Rick for all his help over the years and wish him a very happy and long retirement."

Rick said: "It's been a very enjoyable time and I've made some very good friends. But I'm of an age now where I've got a nice cosy flat and I'd like to spend a bit more time in it putting my feet up!

"It's been great to work with Ian, who has always been aware of any limitations and chosen tasks to suit. I've loved doing this puzzle for Mimi as well, it was such a fun idea."