An ‘enthusiastic’ sports writer has marked an incredible 50 years in journalism this week.

Ken McEwan took early retirement last year as sports editor of the Eastbourne Herald and Gazette series but has been freelancing for the titles since then – as a holiday relief sports sub or covering Conference football club Eastbourne Borough.

He started his career in journalism as a 15-year-old, taking home £3.3s.6d. a week on the Bexhill Observer, and has spent the rest of his career working for other South Coast weeklies.

There was a surprise presentation for him on Monday, where he was given a cricket-themed cake by Herald series editor-in-chief Keith Ridley which declared ’50 not out’.

Keith said: “Ken has been a terrific servant of newspapers in East Sussex, and is every bit as enthusiastic about local sport today as he was 50 years ago.

“It was fitting that he just happened to be here in the office doing some freelance work for us, on the very day of his anniversary. So it was cake and congratulations all around.”

Following his time on the Bexhill Observer, Ken became sports editor of the Hasting Observer before moving to the Eastbourne titles in 1979.

Ken said: “I count myself extremely fortunate, having seen many print colleagues and fellow journalists fall by the wayside through no fault of their own, particularly during the last 10 years, with the advent of new technology and the recession.

“I just hope that, for the sake of today’s many excellent young journalists, people are still buying newspapers in another 50 years!”

Ken was one of a trio of regional journalists who teamed up to write their memoirs, which were published earlier this year in a book called ‘Three Men and a Quote’.