A radio boss is to take over the morning show from one of four presenters sacked in a recent cull.

Managing editor Neil Pringle will present BBC Southern Counties Radio's breakfast show after listeners' favourite John Radford was dropped as part of a relaunch.

News reader Richard Lindfield, who left Southern Counties for Southern FM 12 years ago, is also returning to the station to present the 4pm to 7pm Drivetime show currently hosted by Dominic Busby.

Mr Lindfield, 56, from Brighton, who takes up his new position on April 3, said: "I am looking forward to it tremendously.

I have had a fantastic time with Southern FM and it's a great station but I really can't say no to what the BBC is offering."

In April, the radio station's headquarters is moving from Guildford in Surrey to Imperial Road, Brighton, where there is already a small studio.

Mr Lindfield said: "It seems the perfect time to do this seeing as the station is coming back to Brighton."

The three-hour show, including a news hour between 5pm and 6pm, will be broadcast in Surrey and Sussex.

Mr Lindfield said he hopes to introduce more features involving listeners.

He added: "I don't just mean more phone-ins, we could have listener diaries where people have a tape recorder if they are doing something special like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or giving birth. It's going to be local, warm and exciting."

Saturday night presenter Tommy Boyd will fill Bill Buckley's shoes presenting the 1pm to 4pm slot. A BBC source revealed the replacements to The Argus yesterday.

It was confirmed in January that Mr Radford, who has worked for the radio station for eight years, had been axed because of falling audience figures. Ed Douglas, who hosts the breakfast show in Surrey, is also due to go.

Mr Radford said: "We'll just have to suck it and see. The listeners may like it but they will vote with their dials."

The radio station has lost about 100,000 listeners in the last three years after audience figures peaked at 350,000 in 2002.

The latest listening figures show the station now has 241,000 listeners - a 4.9 per cent audience share.

Mr Pringle, who has previously presented a 9am to 1pm show, refused to comment but said he would speak publicly about his new job later this month. Replacements for the other presenters are expected to be announced at the same time.

Listener Peter Bailey, 74, of Beaconsfield Villas, Brighton, said: "Both are excellent broadcasters.

I am intrigued to know what the big plan is. The old format was a bit tired - I would like to see the station become more local but I don't think that is in the plan."