FIZZ and cake were brought in for the final breakfast show of the Free Radio stars, Hursty and Helen today, and there was something of a party atmosphere at the studio.

But for many listeners it was the end of an era, leading to a burst of warm comments from fans on Facebook.

Listener Ebs Manning caught the general mood when she posted: " You two have often made me look like a mad woman whilst driving to work due to the laughter.

"I've never been a fan of most women presenters, but Helen you are awesome. It was always tough when one of you were off but now you're going altogether. We will miss you very much."

Both Helen and Hursty are looking forward to a much later morning start on Monday. For eight years they have both been up at 4.20am sharp for their breakfast show.

It's Helen who has now decided to call time, not least because she can focus more on her young family, for the next two weeks of term and into the long summer holiday.

She's not ruling out a return to broadcasting in the future, but she added: "I'll be looking for a new challenge and decide what I'm going to do; to see what's out there."

Something involving charity work is a possibility, but Helen's ruling out another London Marathon.

A few years back she tackled the marathon in a creditable 4 hours and 36 minutes, and she raised £10,000 for St Richard's Hospice as a result.

But Helen insisted: "Running's not for me."

Hursty will have a new slot, called Hursty's Home Run, which will be entertaining listeners from 3pm, when thoughts of commuters will be turning to tea, not to breakfast.

At the party, after Hursty unsuccessfully tried to tempt Helen into a pub crawl around Worcester, they reflected on what had made them such a successful broadcasting partnership.

Hursty said: "I think we come from quite different areas of life. I came from the south coast and Helen's Worcester born and bred, and she's been a mum for a few years.

"I've had five houses and two girlfriends since I came here. We sit on different parts of the spectrum of life, but I think that touches everyone who listens to us."

Helen said that, in her working on-air relationship with the sometimes 'laddish' Hursty, she saw herself as "a big sister, not a mother".

And their joint last words to their many fans?

"Thank you to everyone who has listened to us over the last eight years, and we are truly grateful for all the tremendous responses."