Forced retirement for an Ipswich railway worker proved "enjoyable" after he was let go 20 years ago.

Graham Moore, a former signals and telecommunications technician, went from delivering his voice to millions of Greater Anglia commuters to giving back to his local community.

Mr Moore was pushed out of the railway around the time the Sussex, Essex, and Hertfordshire train service was re-organised in the early 2000s when it was operated first by National Express in 2004. A franchise now held by Greater Anglia, which runs the line.

"I haven't worked for years now," the 70-year-old said. "I retired quite early through voluntary redundancy at 50.

"And then I moved into running the Maidenhall Resident Association as the chairman from the chap who was chairman, Ken Sport.

"I've been chairman ever since."

He also has big plans to turn Maidenhall's shop into a community centre once again with a coffee shop.

Ipswich Star: Joanna Billings, Mary Doncaster, Jim Hubbard, Sandy McBurney, Graham Moore and Ian Joy from Maidenhall Residents Association, IpswichJoanna Billings, Mary Doncaster, Jim Hubbard, Sandy McBurney, Graham Moore and Ian Joy from Maidenhall Residents Association, Ipswich (Image: MRA)

But he will only be able to go ahead with this idea if the shop's volunteers can clean out the many donations from the community.

This could also include a place for people to use computers if they have none at home.

"We used to run coach trips," he added. "But you can't get enough people to fill the coach. It just cost us too much."

He said they also stopped their classes for elderly people at the school "due to people dying".

Mr Moore, who has lived in Maidenhall since the age of five, has also "really enjoyed" volunteering at Stoke Green Baptist Church.

Though during the pandemic his singing at the over 50s club and cleaning up after events at the church has largely been put on hold.

He has also not given up putting his voice to use and regular hosts internet radio station, Timeless Hits, late at night.

"I do a late-night show every evening of the week," he added. "We do music from the decades 50s, 60s, 70s.

"I get people ready for bed at the end of the day. [The show's] called The End of the Day."