A former regional press journalist who went on to become the Midlands staff reporter for the Daily Star and Daily Express has died aged 65.
Martin Stote started out on his home town paper the Portsmouth News in 1970 and also worked for the Birmingham Post and Mail during a long career.
He joined the Daily Star in 1982 and worked as its Midlands reporter for 16 years before being made redundant in 1998.
After a short stint back with the Birmingham Post as assistant news editor, he was taken back by the Express group as Midlands reporter for the Express and remained there until he took redundancy in 2009.
Stories which Martin covered while at the Star included the abduction of Birmingham estate agent Stephanie Slater and the trial of her kidnapper Michael Sams, the arrest and trial of Lincolnshire nurse Beverley Allitt, and the Fred West murders.
He had initially been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2004 and although he appeared to have beaten the disease it returned in 2012.
Martin was married to Sue Smith who worked for the Birmingham Evening Mail and Birmingham Post for 28 years as a reporter and chief reporter.
After Martin left the Express, the couple bought a share in a yacht in Greece to pursue their love of sailing and, early in 2011, Martin was made deputy editor of The Ionian, a small glossy magazine published and circulated in the Greek Islands.
Martin’s funeral service will take place at 2.30pm on Friday 20 June at St Andrew’s Church, Ombersley, Worcestershire followed by a private burial.
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Martin was one of the great news reporters produced by the Birmingham Evening Mail during its golden years in the 70-80s.He had amazing support from his wife,Sue, also a great reporter with the Mail.
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So sorry to learn of Martin’s death. I new him for many years while on the road as a photographer. Since. 2000 when I set up Syndication at the Express & Star I spoke several times daily providing him with many stories.
Martin was a top news man and a good colleague who will be missed.
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Martin was a true gentleman of the press, but never let his impeccable manners stop him from getting the story. I first met him during my days at Caters News Agency in the early 1990s: Martin was the Daily Star’s national staffer, commissioning early morning, late night and weekend call-outs, and was a kind (but hard) taskmaster, greatly assisting my learning curve. RIP Martin, and many best wishes to wife Sue, who I always enjoyed working with in later years at the Mail.
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Martin and Susie were brave, dignified and cheerful throughout Martin’s long illness – a truly inspriational couple. RIP Martin.
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He was one of the old school – too few around now! With wife, Sue, they were a formidable duo – So sad, Ken Jackson
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Martin was a consummate professional who left no stone unturned in pursuit of the truth. He was a joy to work with on stories and an even greater joy to have a pint with afterwards.
Great memories of a sneaky pint in the Kings Head at Ombersley on the way home from work will live long. And great evenings at The Yennings with wife Sue and son John in which we combined Scalextric sets to build a great raceway through his entire downstairs.
RIP Martin, proud to have been a friend.
Rob and Anne
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RIP Martin. Remembered as a first class reporter, and known to have “knocked” that extra door on a job when it really mattered. Always a gentleman.
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