A new radio station for Telford is being launched on March 2 - the vision and brainchild of a local man with a lifetime's experience in the radio and music business.

Austin Powell, who turns 80 in June, said: "I love radio, I love music, and I have described TCMR as being my one last hurrah. But mostly it's because I really, really believe that Telford deserves its own radio station."

Listeners will be able to access the station online through its website www.tcmr.co.uk or by telling smart speakers to "play TCMR Radio." Austin is also hoping that the green light will come through quickly which will clear the way to broadcast from a DAB transmitter on the Wrekin, which will extend the station's reach to DAB radios. 

"We're aiming at the 35-plus age group. It will primarily be music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and the best of the last 20 years or so. We'll play what we think is the quality music from the last five and a half decades, and apart from singles we'll be playing some album tracks.

"We'll be broadcasting 24 hours a day and will have national news on the hour and local news eight times a day."

Austin has assembled a team of experienced presenters, who will use their own home studios. They include Tony Paul, one of the original Beacon Radio team, Rosie Kendrick, who has worked for Smooth FM, and David Yarnall, another original Beacon presenter who has also worked for BBC stations including Radio Two.

"Everybody is a volunteer. We will fund the station by selling advertising and sponsorship."

Austin, who lives in Madeley, has had a varied career which has included managing pop groups, and involvement in record companies and music publishing. He has worked in radio since the late 1970s in both management and presenting roles at stations such as Beacon, Manx Radio, Ludlow-based Sunshine 855, and Radio Maldwyn.

Telford used to be served by Telford FM, which became defunct, and about 10 years ago Austin started exploring the idea of giving Telford its own radio station once more. He canvassed the possibility with people he had worked with, or had worked for him, and received a positive response.

"The opportunity arose with the coming of DAB, meaning that in comparison to setting up an FM station it is infinitely cheaper than it has been in the past. It looked viable."

The station name TCMR is taken from the company name, Telford Community Radio CIC ("Community Interest Company"). 

Austin added: "I'm under no illusions about our launching TCMR in a difficult economic landscape. It's tough for everyone at the moment, individuals as well as businesses, large and small. It's not a great time to be launching a station but on the other hand, you have to launch it some time.

"I believe TCMR will offer listeners and businesses a truly locally-focussed service, a radio station the people of Telford and surrounding towns and villages can call their own."