Former Northcliffe editor Tom Hoy has graduated at 80 from the University of Hull - with an honours degree in social and cultural studies.

He is now seeking his next challenge and aims to complete a masters degree in history.

The former Hull Daily Mail assistant editor left the Mail in 1977 to edit another Northcliffe title, The Gloucestershire Echo, in Cheltenham. He also previously edited the North and South Humberside Times for 16 years.

Despite his age Tom is determined to succeed in new challenges and has remained active throughout his retirement, filling the post of churchwarden at both St James' church, Sutton and later at Elloughton-cum-Brough.

He now lives in Scarborough and said the degree was something he chose to do to occupy his mind during retirement - and he says that his mind is sharper now… although his memory is sometimes a problem.

As well as fighting his fading memory he battled a cancerous tumour on his jaw enduring severe illness and an operation which removed part of his jaw as well as the offending tumour. After a year out he battled back to complete his degree, graduating alongside mostly 'twentysomethings', their youth and his age complementing each other.

Yet despite being one of Hull's oldest graduates of the year there was never a problem - and the younger students took him under their wing helping him along.

He added that he was also able to help the younger students by offering his different thoughts on various issues.

He said: "We were able to help each other because we think of things differently."

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