Tributes have been paid to a highly-respected journalist who died on New Year’s Day.

Arnold Pearson died peacefully in hospital, aged 80.

He worked at The Darlington and Stockton Times for many years, regularly covering council meetings.

He was also a county councillor for 30 years, having been elected to the old North Riding authority in 1963, and was a parish councillor in Romanby for more than 40 years.

Former editor of The Darlington and Stockton Times, Peter Ridley, said: “He was a very quick reporter who would cover vast amounts of work.

“He reported on the council as well as sitting on it, but he was always so fair that there were never any complaints about bias.”

Mr Pearson leaves a widow and two children. His funeral will be held on Wednesday.

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