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Former regional press reporter for Westcountry dies

Former Westcountry reporter Alan Rogers has died at the age of 71.

He started off at the Bristol Evening World in 1960, which later merged into the Evening Post, before leaving for the Daily Herald.

Alan, who was born in Wiltshire, went to Bristol University and decided on a journalistic career after working on the student newspaper.

One of his early successes was in working undercover for three months as high-flying member of Sir Oswald Moseley’s Union Movement.

The Herald published three double-page spreads about the fascist organisation, all written by Alan, and he had to flee the country.

When he returned home he joined the Daily Mail before securing a job as a producer on the Today programme on Radio 4.

Alan held several further radio posts with the BBC before a move to television in 1987 as head of schools TV and later continuing education.

He finally left the BBC in 1993 for a new project – ARK2 – creating a Christian cable TV network. It lasted only two years but a second project, Management Futures, was a success.

It was during Alan’s time as a student that he met his future wife, Jenny. They have two sons.

Later in life he suffered from ankylosing spondylitis and eventually became confined to a wheelchair.

He died on July 4 this year.

Comments

Des Webshon (26/08/2010 10:31:21)
I worked withe Alan in the early days of the Sun (ex Daily Herald as it was then). One of the assignments I will never forget was the opening of Harlech Television at their Bristol studios. Amongst the vips was Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Stanley Baker and Harry Secombe. Alan and I arrived early, in fact we were the first there and the outside bar was being set up. We started the day with a few Tio Pepes putting it mildly and continued to do so until for some time. Burton and Taylor came out to the front of the studios mid-afternoon accompanied by Harry Secombe to show off her £200,000 diamond ring. Alan and I full of the spirits so to speak forced our way to the front of the mass of reporters and photographers. Unfortunately we barged into Secombe who spilt his champagne over his evening suit that he had been wearing for rehearsals. Burton reacted instandly and poured a bottle of champagne over us. Elizabeth Taylor told Burton off for this action and as a consolation Burton handed the bottle over and we “christened the event” by giving Burton a soaking – he didnt mind in the least as he been enjoying the hospitalities as we had. Most nationals carried the story the next day with giving credit to the two Sun men as launching Harlech TV. May I pay respect to Alan’s widow and his children. He was a splended person and a great colleague. Somewhere in my files is a shot of the two of us during this incident.