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Top Tory Hurd gives Chronicle snapper's work the thumbs-up

The assistant editor of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle was made to eat his words after a light-hearted rant about photographers – when a VIP reader got in touch to praise the work of the paper’s snappers.

The Chronicle’s Mick Smith took a call to tell him that Tory grandee Lord Douglas Hurd had been so impressed with a recent picture taken of him by the paper’s Leanne Holcroft, that he actually bought a copy.

  • Leanne’s picture of Lord Hurd
  • A spokesman for the former foreign secretary contacted Mick after he described snappers as “low of brow, lower of intellect and shifty of eye” in his light-hearted Feedback column.

    Mick was taken aback when the call from Lord Hurd’s people followed.

    He told readers: “I admit it, I was wrong. There, I’ve said it. After last week’s little rant against snappers yet another of you has been in touch to say how wonderful they are.

    “And not just any old reader – oh no, not your common or garden reader, but a VIP.”

    Deputy editor Chris Styles told HoldtheFrontPage: “Mick took the call which said Lord Hurd had been so impressed with the picture that he wanted it, which is absolutely fantastic.

    “We are proud of the quality of our pictures in the paper and it is always nice when something like this happens.”

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