DIANE Gooch, who has been managing residential homes for older people in Devizes for more than 15 years, bid farewell to the town last week as she leaves to run a home in Malmesbury.

Mrs Gooch, who lives in Calne, officially took over the management of Burnham House residential home on Wednesday, ending a long relationship with the community of Devizes.

Last Wednesday evening the staff and friends of Southfield Home, where she has been looking after the residents for the last eight years, threw a party for her at which she was presented with gifts of jewellery and garden centre vouchers.

Mayor Coun Ray Parsons, the chairman of the Friends of Southfield was among 100 people at the party.

Mrs Gooch said: "I am very sorry to be leaving Southfield but we all have to move on some time and I just need a change."