SIXTEEN years ago Russell Cook made a massive career change in his life and trained to become a journalist.Although he had always been in print since he started life as an apprentice compositor as a teenager, he never anticipated what his working life had in store for him.

SIXTEEN years ago Russell Cook made a massive career change in his life and trained to become a journalist.

Although he had always been in print since he started life as an apprentice compositor as a teenager, he never anticipated what his working life had in store for him.

Now the deputy editor (news) of The Evening Star is leaving the newspaper to become editor of the Lowestoft Journal.

The 52-year-old, who currently lives in Ipswich, takes on his new role on Monday after saying his farewells to many friends and colleagues at the Star's offices, in Lower Brook Street yesterday.

Mr Cook has also created a piece of history by becoming one of a small band of people who have been awarded an editorship after retraining from the print production area.

He began as an apprentice compositor with the East Anglian Daily Times Company at its commercial printing branch, The Suffolk Press, where he eventually became indentured at the age of 21.

However, with the introduction of direct input and a dramatic change in the industry he took the plunge with five other colleagues in 1986 to be retrained as a journalist.

The six undertook an intensive in-house training course and Mr Cook eventually passed the National Council for the Training of Journalists proficiency test in October 1988.

He progressed through the ranks where he became deputy chief reporter at the newspaper's Felixstowe office, chief reporter in Woodbridge and eventually chief reporter in the newspaper's head office in Lower Brook Street, Ipswich. During that period Mr Cook also worked for the EADT's Mercury Series.

By 1993 he had progressed to the position of news editor on the Star and three years later was appointed to his current role.

"I had this opportunity half way through my life to follow a new career and I jumped at the chance," he said.

"But it's been hard saying goodbye to so many good friends and workmates. I will miss them tremendously but I have new challenges and new friends to look forward to."