Have you or your family worked for the Surrey Comet? Do you have memories, fond or otherwise, of the paper over the years? If so, we want to hear from you.

This year is the Comet's 150th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations we want to create an archive of memories.

In its heyday almost 400 people worked at the Comet in the heart of Kingston, and as well as being one of the largest employers in the borough it was also one of the most interesting.

Steeped in history, since 1854 the paper has played an important role in Kingston, reflecting and helping shape its development.

Over the years many thousands of people worked at the paper doing a vast range of jobs.

These ranged from the highly-skilled, and paid, compositors who put together the type in the days of hot metal, to the hard-pressed advertising reps who sold advertising space to local businesses.

There were generations of reporters working on sit-up-and-beg typewriters, some 50-years-old the machines that is covering everything from court and crime to council meetings and flower shows.

Much of their time was spent in local pubs such as the Griffin and the Druid's Head in Market Place, favourite Comet haunts, where they picked up stories over a pint or three.

And then there were all the printers, photographers, proofreaders, receptionists a small army all working together to create this newspaper.

It was also a place of high drama, arcane rituals and larger-than-life characters.

And, in the days of hot metal, when the paper had vast premises in Church Street in the centre of Kingston, staff used to wait to grab a copy of the paper as it came, literally, hot off the press.

We want to celebrate this vibrant newspaper tradition and all the people who were part of it.

Do you remember the characters, the atmosphere, the dramas, the quirky incidents that made it such an interesting life?

If so, please send your memories, and photos, to the paper and don't forget to tell anyone you know who used to work for the paper.

Some will be printed in the Comet's anniversary edition on September 22.

The rest will be put into an electronic archive, which anyone with a computer and internet access can visit, before being given to the borough's museum and heritage service where they will be preserved for posterity.

q Send letters to Surrey Comet 150 Archive, Unecol House, 819 London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9BN.

You can also send your memories in by email to newsdesk @surreycomet.co.uk. We will return any pictures if requested.

Please include your name, address and telephone number as we will be organising a grand reunion for ex-Comet staff later in the year.

newsdesk@surreycomet.co.uk