Former Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reporter Bernal Daulman has died.

He had been one of the Gazette's longest serving reporters, working for the paper for 40 years and retiring in 1992.

The dedicated hack, who was 74, died of cancer of the pancreas. He had been diagnosed with cancer the day before.

Bernal grew up in Swindon and joined Wiltshire Newspapers as a trainee journalist at the age of 16.

After two years National Service at RAF Hullavington, he returned to the Gazette, and was initially based at the Malmesbury office before moving to Chippenham office.

He was well-known for his weekly feature, Chippenham Chat, which included gossip and comical titbits from around the town, and covered lots of royal visits, general elections and motor racing at Castle Combe.

Gazette editor Gary Lawrence said: "One of the reasons the Gazette is so loved by its readers today is because of the dedication, love of their community and integrity of reporters like Bernal.

"For 40 years he was the face of the Gazette in Chippenham and the surrounding area. His reputation will live on and provide a benchmark for all of us to set our standards against."

Bernal is survived by his wife, Pauline, whom he met when she was a receptionist for the rival Bath Chronicle newspaper.

The couple have two children, Barbara and Bernal, and four grandchildren.