Former Northern Echo and Swindon Evening Advertiser journalist Stanley Hurwitz has died.

The 84-year-old, who still worked as a freelance and was never without his camera and notepad, died in Cheltenham General Hospital after suffering a heart attack.

Before becoming a journalist, Stanley, who was born into a Polish-Latvian immigrant family, had a variety of jobs, including reading palms on Brighton beach.

As a reporter he worked for the Daily Sketch, but left after failing to ask a Countess if she was pregnant.

He then joined the Northern Echo, working under Harold Evans who later became editor of the Sunday Times, before moving to the Swindon Evening Advertiser where he worked for some years as a feature writer.

He retired in 1985 but had continued to work as a freelance until shortly before his death.

Stanley, who was separated from his wife Anna, leaves a daughter, Rebecca.