Wiltshire Times music reviewer, James Conroy, has landed a job as a features writer with the Front Page News Agency.

Mr Conroy, originally from Nottingham but now based in Trowbridge, has covered gigs in the Wiltshire area since he gave up his job as purchasing manager at a pine furniture factory in order to concentrate on his writing.

When the 28-year-old applied to Front Page News, they invited him for an interview on the strength of his Wiltshire Times portfolio.

He had to face three rounds of tests of increasing difficulty. The final hurdle was to research and write an article for Chat magazine on the spot.

Mr Conroy, who starts his new job in January, said: "My new employers told me that based on the little experience I had, they were really impressed."

They added that they expect their competition will try to poach him within the year.

Not that the job is the kind you would want to leave in a hurry. Members of the public call the agency with "mad tabloid stories" which the staff writers then follow up.

The finished features are sold to magazines such as Chat or Bella and to national newspapers.

Television programmes such as Trisha and Kilroy are also keen to hear about any interesting stories or unusual characters.

Mr Conroy said that while he was at one of his interviews somebody alerted the company to the tale of a Welsh vicar who was half way through a sex change, but maintained a "sisterly relationship" with his wife and was still practising as a vicar.

Other common subject matter will apparently include adultery and love triangles quite a contrast to his previous work covering the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival.

However, providing readers across the country with scandalous stories is not Mr Conroy's main ambition.

He is three quarters of the way through a screenplay that deals with the weighty question of mortality although he insisted there will be some comedy included.

Music enthusiasts will be interested to hear the Wiltshire Times is looking for somebody to fill James Conroy's shoes. If you are interested in becoming our next music reviewer, please contact Dawn Gorman on (01225) 352487.