Long-serving Scarborough Evening News columnist Athol Wallis has died, aged 83.

Thought to be the longest serving regular contributor to the paper in its history, he wrote a natural history column under the pen name AJW for 49 years.

His column drew on personal observations and his wide knowledge of the natural world.

AJW's Country Diary ran from 1949 to 1998 in the Saturday issue of the Evening News, which was then called The Mercury.

Athol retired four years ago.

A widower, he was married to Hannah, who died in 1985.

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