Local newspaper entrepreneur Sir Ray Tindle celebrated his 80th birthday with an industry party hosted by the Newspaper Society.

The lunch was hosted by NS president Paul Davidson, of Newsquest Media Group, who paid tribute to Sir Ray's remarkable 59-year newspaper career.

Sir Ray gave his own speech, which was applauded for its comic timing and unique historical perspective.

He had served in the Devonshire Regiment in the Second World War, being released with the rank of Captain in 1947.

He dreamed up his idea of a family newspaper group on a troopship in 1945 - and the first title was launched in the 1960s with the £300 demob money given to soldiers at the end of the war.

He left the Army just after the war to join his local newspaper in Croydon in a job he describes as "general dogsbody".

A print strike in 1950 gave the opportunity to test different aspects of the newspaper industry and he decided to run papers of his own, setting up the Tooting & Balham Gazette in the 1960s.

He now owns more than 200 titles and several radio stations.

Profits at Tindle Newspapers, based in Farnham, Surrey, were a record £8.5m on £32.9m turnover in 2004-05.

In 1995, aged 69, Sir Ray was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx, or voicebox. He subsequently had his larynx removed after radiotherapy failed to beat the illness, and he now speaks through a valve fitted below his throat. But he fought back from the setback and still takes a major role in the company.

In the 2006 Sunday Times Rich List he was said to be worth some £215m. The previous year he was worth £195m.

The Rich List entry states: "He has no intention of retiring."

Sir Ray presents Newspaper Society president Paul Davidson with a gift for the Society's 170th anniversary.