The assistant editor of the Coventry Evening Telegraph, Paul Simoniti, has died aged 43.

He had been battling against cancer and died in Myton Hospice in Warwick.

Paul began his career on the Nuneaton Evening Tribune as a reporter and wrote the pop music page.

He went on to work on the Sunday Mercury and Birmingham Evening Mail before moving to the Evening Telegraph in 1987 as chief features sub-editor.

He later became features editor before being promoted to assistant editor.

In 1995 Paul helped lead a campaign to win vital treatment for women suffering from ovarian cancer and the publicity proved a major factor in persuading the health authority to fund a new chemotherapy drug.

Paying tribute to Paul, Evening Telegraph editor Alan Kirby said: "He was, simply, a wonderful man and we shall miss him."

Paul leaves a wife, Kim, and two young sons, James and Ben.

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