The features editor of the Gloucester Citizen has died at the age of 41.

Simon Harwood joined the Citizen in 1981 as a reporter after working at the Wiltshire and Gloucester Standard.

In recent years he had held the position of assistant chief sub editor before becoming the features editor for the newspaper and was a respected and well-liked member of the team.

He had also worked as a business writer and had reported Forest Green football matches for several seasons.

Citizen editor Spencer Feeney said: “He made a valuable contribution to the newspaper over two decades and had recently returned to the post of features editor where he had already made a significant contribution, he will be much missed.

“His death at such a young age is a huge loss to the newspaper and for his many friends with whom he worked at the Citizen.”

An inquest has been opened and adjourned to a date to be fixed by the Cotswold Coroner Lester Maddrell.

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