Former newspaper editor Colin Lucas has died aged 64.

He and his wife Maggie lived in Newmarket but five weeks ago they emigrated to the south of France near the Pyrenees, where he died suddenly.

During his career Colin worked for a variety of newspapers across the south of England including the Cambridge Evening News and Bury Free Press.

He was also editor of the Bury Citizen, Haverhill Echo for 11 years and Newmarket Journal for three.

Colin joined forces with Haverhill Chamber of Commerce to launch the Christmas late night shopping event which later became the annual Family Christmas Night – still a major event in the town.

He also served on the Haverhill Show Committee for several years and, while working in Cambridge, was involved in the early days of the Cambridge Folk Festival.