And the website set up by former Sheffield journalism tutor Gerry Kreibich to network with former students continues to grow.

After a career at the Warrington Guardian, Manchester City News, Newark Advertiser and Derbyshire Times, as well as serving as editor of the Matlock Mercury, Gerry turned to journalism training and was at Richmond/Stradbroke College in Sheffield for 18 years.

He set up his website in preference to writing a book of memoirs and because it is online can gauge its popularity week by week.

He said: "The figure averages out at nearly 20 visits every day during 2007.

"Who all these people are - or where they are - I have no idea, but it's very pleasing. I'm now so very glad that I didn't publish the memoirs as a book.

"Even if I'd sold 1,000 copies they'd just be standing on shelves all over the place by this time and I'd have no idea if they were ever looked at - but now I know for sure that people are still dipping in pretty well every day.

"I've had a reasonable crop of letters and in my latest update to the page I invite people to get in contact."

His former trainees include Tim Blott, Glasgow Herald & Times managing director, BBC environment and science correspondent David Shukman, Ipswich Star editor Nigel Pickover and television presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

In a related project, having invited former students to send in brief snippets of nostalgia from college days, Gerry self-published a booklet of student memories with revenue going to charity. More details are at his website.

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