Harold Williams, a former reporter with the Bolton Evening News group of newspapers, has died. He was 83.

Harold was a member of the editorial team based at the Leigh, Tyldesley and Atherton Journal.

His career began at the age of 16 when he joined the Eccles Journal, but after serving with the RAF during wartime, he took a clerical post at Greenhalgh's Atherton foundry.

Harold returned to the Tillotsons Newspapers fold aged 40 and later became a senior reporter at the Railway Road office in Leigh.

He retired at the age of 65 but later returned to the Journal on a part-time basis.

Harold once joked that he had turned down the chance of writing a story about the Beatles.

According to office legend, when Beatles' manager Brian Epstein popped in one day in 1963 and announced "We've got the Beatles at the Casino", asking if Harold would like to do a story, he replied: "Well, what are you telling me for, go and get some DDT from t'Town Hall."

Harold's funeral was held at Howe Bridge where a service was conducted by the Rev Brenda Catterall, who worked with Harold during her time as a reporter with the Journal.

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