A man who started his journalism career on his local newspaper has died in Switzerland at the age of 61.

Robert Brookes, left, was a reporter on the Kidderminster Shuttle from 1973 to 1978 before leaving to join the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.

He died in hospital in Berne, where he lived and worked, on 26 September following a short illness.

Robert gained a degree in French at the North London Polytechnic before returning to Kidderminster after graduating and worked in the newsroom at the Kidderminster Shuttle for nearly six years.

Robert moved to Switzerland to become a reporter with the national radio station in Berne and at the time of his death had worked for the organisation for 33 years. In recent years he was based at its Swissinfo website.

Lifelong friend and former Shuttle colleague Brian Gough said: “Rob’s death has come as a great shock to his many friends in the Kidderminster area.

“We grew up in the same street, went to grammar school together and worked at The Shuttle at the same time.

“Although he had lived in Berne for so many years, he still visited Kidderminster regularly and went on annual walking holidays with a group of friends. He also kept a close interest in the area through the Shuttle website.”

Another former colleague, David Thomas, said: “I first met Rob in the 1970s when I joined The Shuttle as a reporter and we stayed friends for over 30 years. He was one of those people you take an instant liking to, a great asset for a journalist. We shall always miss his companionship, wit and wisdom.”

Robert’s mother Dot and sister Gill still live in Kidderminster and he leaves his Swiss-born wife Margrit and son Sam in Berne.

Friends are planning a memorial event next month. Anyone who would like to attend can contact Brian Gough on [email protected].