A former regional journalist who started his own news agency and campaigned to prevent cruelty to ex racehorses has written a book about his career.

Roy Briggs, 72, who started his career on the Sheffield Star has written Eve of Forgiveness: A Journalist’s Journey, proceeds of which will see a £1 donation made to Cancer Research UK in memory of his late sister.

Said Roy: “It is poignant that some money will go to Cancer Research because my younger sister Ann died from pancreatic cancer, which is one of the worst tumours you can get.

“She was eight years younger than me and it made me feel guilty that she was taken so early.”

Roy began his career at 17 as a junior reporter at the Sheffield newspaper and after eight years on the paper he launched Briggs News Agency in Doncaster in 1974.

In 1984 he sold his Doncaster agency and moved to Bridlington to set up the East Yorkshire Press Agency specialising in racing news and features which kept him busy for his final 20 years in journalism.

His career saw him spend 28 years in news reporting followed by 20 years specialising in horse racing.

Roy knew that a career in journalism was for him after a story about a blackbird making its nest in the porch of his house made it into the local newspaper in Rotherham.

The book embraces a wide variety of human interest stories ranging from the bizarre, humorous and tragic, whilst his racing career saw the launch of a successful media campaign to expose a scandal involving cruelty to ex-racehorses.

The three year campaign, which Roy said was the highlight of his career, saw him push racing’s rulers into providing some form of ‘safety net’ to prevent former racehorses ending up as cruelty victims.

Roy, who now lives in Scarborough, said the second part of his memoirs carries an important message on forgiveness.

To buy a copy of the book, which has featured in a  review in a supplement for the Daily Mail, call Roy on 01723 503076 or email [email protected]