A regular regional daily columnist and renowned historian on the newspaper’s patch has died after a fall at his home.

Tributes have been paid to John Markham, pictured left, who wrote a weekly piece for the Hull Daily Mail for many years until recently.

John was also director of his own publishing company, and wrote a number of books on the history of Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

His works included The Living Past, a selection of his articles on Hull and East Yorkshire previously published in the Mail.

Former Mail picture editor Jim Mitchell said: “John was an outstanding historian with an unparalleled knowledge of the East Riding’s rich heritage. He will be a great loss to the community but his legacy will always remain.”

John, who was in his 80s, had been unwell in recent years but remained active with his Mail column.

Last month he also contributed to a BBC Radio Humberside feature marking the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth and death.

Mail deputy editor Jamie Macaskill said: “We would like to pay tribute to John’s invaluable contribution to the Mail over many years. He was a great servant to our readers and and the broader community.

“His work built a bridge across generations to ensure the history of Hull and East Riding remains a vibrant and important part of our local culture.”