A WHITCHURCH dentist is celebrating 25 years of working in the town this month.

Dr Richard South was the town's only dentist when he set up a practice in the centre of Whitchurch in 1982 and continued working there until 1997 when the practice was moved to new premises on Winchester Road.

Andover resident Dr Anjela Chetty, who trained in South Africa, has recently joined the practice, taking private patients on Saturday mornings.

Dr South, aged 61, explained: "It's probably the first time that there will be a dental practice providing service all through the week and on Saturday mornings as well."

Although most of Dr South's patients are still NHS funded, he has seen many changes over the years.

"It seems strange to think of it now, but when we first started up you were not allowed to advertise - you just had to set up and hope that someone would notice you," he said.

"When we first arrived, I don't think there had been a practice in Whitchurch for something like 20 years so I suppose it was about time."