A former chairman of the old North Devon Journal-Herald has died aged 81.

Hugh Trebble, whose newspaper career spanned more than 47 years, died in his sleep after suffering failing health for several weeks.

Mr Trebble was general manager of the Journal-Herald for 10 years, from 1973, and oversaw a period of massive growth for the newspaper.

He joined the North Devon Herald as a trainee reporter in 1937, only to have his work cut short by the onset of war.

He was in the administrative section of the RAF for six years, serving much of the time in South East Asia Command, and was a prisoner of war of the Japanese for nearly four years.

Returning home in 1946, he worked as a reporter at the head office of the Ilfracombe Chronicle until, like the Herald, it was absorbed into the Journal-Herald.

In 1956 he transferred to the commercial side of the industry, becoming publisher responsible for circulation and distribution, followed by advertisement manager in 1964 and further promotion nine years later. He retired in 1984.

His funeral will be held on August 22 at St Philip and James’ Church in Ilfracombe.

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