A courageous and talented reporter has lost his eight-year battle with cancer aged just 34.

Jeremy Price joined the Colchester Evening Gazette in 1999, and became the paper’s health reporter the following year.

He held that title until he left the Gazette in May 2006.

He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2000, after suffering a seizure. After extensive tests, surgeons established the tumour was a “slow-developer”, rather than one of the faster, more aggressive forms.

It was deeply entwined in Jeremy’s brain, meaning surgery was not an option, so – in a manner that all too soon would come to define the reporter – he decided to get on with his life, while being monitored by doctors.

During this time, he also trialed various different types of medication to try and halt the seizures he had been having.

Almost three years to the day after the tumour was first discovered, a routine scan revealed it had grown.

Although the tumour had not turned into the more aggressive form, Jeremy had been finding himself unsteady on his feet and suffering from almost daily headaches.

After consulting his neurologist, Jeremy decided to undergo a course of radiotherapy, in an attempt to slow down the tumour.

The dedicated journalist decided to chronicle his journey in a weekly column in the Gazette. His first entry appeared in August 2003, entitled “The enemy within”.

His sometimes amusing, often poignant, but always courageous account touched people across the county, with Jeremy receiving regular feedback from readers.

Throughout his fight against cancer, Jeremy was supported by his wife, former Gazette photographer Stephanie, and his vast circle of friends.

Once his treatment was over, Jeremy continued to write updates on his condition for the paper, while attempting to lead as normal a life as he could. He and his wife were delighted when she became pregnant, giving birth to son Henry in 2005.

When he once again appeared to be managing his illness, Jeremy survived a severe form of meningitis in January 2006.

Later that year the family decided to move back to the Isle of Wight to be closer to Stephanie’s parents. Jeremy worked at the island’s County Press newspaper, where the couple had both worked before the Gazette.

Sadly the tumour grew slowly more aggressive and his condition deteriorated, claiming his life this week.

Gazette editor Irene Kettle said Jeremy had been “a first-rate journalist, friend, husband and father – and a truly brave man.”

In a statement, his family called him “such an incredible husband, father, brother and son. We will miss him terribly, as will all his friends and the people who knew him.”