A champion of Worthing has resigned as leader of a leading pressure group formed to rally the town's fortunes.

Roy Stannard quit as chairman of Worthing First to concentrate on private business commitments.

Mr Stannard, former managing director of Splash FM, Worthing's commercial radio station, said in an e-mail to Worthing First members: "I have come to the conclusion that to do the job properly, in the way that it needs to be done, it takes someone to devote themselves totally to the role."

He quit Splash last June to concentrate on his business Spring Marketing Communciations advertising agency.

Mr Stannard, who co-founded Splash, said: "My businesses - Splash FM and now Spring Marketing - have undoubtedly suffered as a result of my commitment to Worthing First, and my fellow directors at both companies have been generous in their understanding.

"However, the time has come to step back and let someone else pick up the baton."

Mr Stannard attended hundreds of meetings in his role as chairman, talking up Worthing's potential in a bid to attract outside investment and improve the town.

His contribution was described as "magnificent" by borough council leader Keith Mercer, who said: "I will be very sorry to see Roy go. He has really rallied the business community behind the town's redevelopment masterplan and the regeneration of Worthing."

Mr Stannard said he had decided to step down after a lot of deliberation.

He added: "The person who replaces me will have a real opportunity to shape the way Worthing is moving. I will be available to provide help and advice to whoever assumes the role."

In 2005 Mr Stannard told The Argus: "Worthing used to be the kind of place that inspired at best a shrug of the shoulders and at worst a disparaging laugh. I remember when I moved here from Brighton the best part of two decades ago my friends smiled and said that I should take up bowls and start smoking a pipe.

"That perception still lingers and has to change. Worthing First was set up just over ten months ago to shake up the town economically. Worthing had drifted into a kind of genteel stupor which had seen sister towns such as Horsham and Eastbourne edge ahead in the municipal pride stakes.

"And yet it has the reputation of being the most profitable town in England. It plays host to five of the top ten corporations in the UK and unemployment hovers around zero.

"The town has a committed core of business people who are fed up with being regarded as the Aunt Sallies of the south east. Worthing First was set up in response to this in November 2004 when I stood up and said at the Worthing Business in Growth Conference that I wanted like-minded people to join me in creating a group that would use its influence to push the town forward economically.

"A town planned rather than a town arrived at by mistake. More than 50 companies stepped forward then. Working groups have been set up in the areas that were mooted as areas of concern or growth.

"Worthing has the chance to advance in leaps and bounds."

Bob Smytherman, leader of the Lib Dem opposition on the borough council, said: "He has been absolutely brilliant and it's a big disappointment.

"He was 100 per cent committed to the business communithy of Worthing."