An old school "character" journalist who spent five decades working for Torbay's Herald Express newspaper has died, aged 71.

Neville Tortoishell had worked at the South Devon paper from the 1950s to the 1990s, and became a legend in his own lifetime amid tales of his often unorthodox ways of working, his capers and an offbeat sense of humour.

Former colleague, Dick Bruton, who worked alongside Neville from the early 1950s, said he was always fun and unpredictable, writing some of his best work on Beacon Cove beach.

He said: "He was just incredibly laid-back, but a superb reporter who could sniff out a story from nowhere.

"He often gave the impression of not really caring because he was so casual, but you under-rated Neville at your peril.

"Some of his antics could be a bit bizarre, but he was superb at his job, and also surprisingly athletic, often taking part in swims from Torquay to Brixham.

"Neville composed many of his best pieces on the slipway at Beacon, and would then phone them in from the nearby kiosk, telling the newsdesk the job in question was dragging on a bit, and he would have to go back.

"Usually he went in for another swim."

Another colleague recalled how Neville was once enjoying a "lunch break" on the beach and suddenly realising he was supposed to be interviewing a celebrity on a luxury yacht anchored in the Bay.

He said: "So he wrapped his notebook in a carrier bag, stuffed it down his trunks and swam out to the boat, climbed aboard and announced: 'I'm from the Herald Express and come to interview you'. Those on board thought it was hilarious, and he got his story."

Born in Manchester, Neville moved to Torbay as a boy and joined the Herald Express as a trainee in 1953.

He later ran the Teignbridge office at Newton Abbot until his retirement in the 1990s.

He died at home after being diagnosed with cancer, and his daughter Debbie said he maintained his sense of humour to the end.

She said: "I was with him just before he died, and although he could barely talk, was still cracking jokes."