Former Fleet Street journalist Brian Whittle has died after suffering a heart attack. He was 59.

He had worked on many national newspapers, including The Sun, the Sunday Mirror, the Daily Star, The People, the Express Group and the former Daily Sketch.

He began his career on the Harrogate Advertiser and set up the news, features and picture agency Cavendish Press in Manchester in 1979.

Brian (pictured) suffered a heart attack after arriving at a party in Manchester on Friday evening to mark the closure of the Daily Express and Daily Star office in the city centre.

He died later at Manchester Royal Infirmary with his son Peter at his bedside.

The party had been hailed as Manchester’s last ever great “Fleet Street” bash following the closure of the Express office and that of other national newspaper offices in the city centre.

Many of his friends and former newspaper colleagues were present.

Brian was also an author, with his best-known book Prescription for Murder, about the life of and times of serial killer Harold Shipman and which he co-wrote with Jean Ritchie, topping the best-seller charts. It is considered to be the standard work on the subject.

He was also a director of 2dayMedia, which provides news and picture feeds to some of the world’s biggest telecommunications and internet providers. His company also provides media training.

Brian leaves a wife, Maureen and sons Mark, Peter and Christopher.

Click here to read Brian’s obituary in full.