A former Yorkshire journalist who worked on a number of regional newspapers has died aged 77.

Shirley Kaye, left, was born in Huddersfield and trained on the Leeds Guardian, Bridlington Chronicle and Batley Reporter.

From 1953 to 1958 she was deputy women’s editor and feature writer on the Yorkshire Post.

She then had a break from newspapers and worked in London from 1958 to 1962 as a scriptwriter for Sapphire Films, working on titles including ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘William Tell.’

From 1962 to 1964 she was chief feature writer on the Hull Daily Mail before moving to Halifax.

During the 1960s she produced a variety of shows at the then Halifax Civic Theatre. She also published ‘Yorkshire Cooking’ an anthology of traditional Yorkshire recipes from the late 18th century which sold tens of thousands of copies.

Shirley was women’s editor of the Halifax Courier from 1964 to 1987 and continued as gardening correspondent into the 1990s.

Edward Riley, now retired,  worked with Shirley when he was editor of the Courier from 1987 until 2003.

Said Edward: “During a very successful career  as women’s editor at the Halifax Courier, Shirley Kaye recognised the vast potential of women readers and set about raising their profile in the paper and in the local community.

“She was an accomplished journalist who wrote with authority on many subjects but in a style that in tune with her loyal readership.”

In 1972 Shirley was Women’s Page Journalist of the Year in the International Publishing Corporation Awards.

She lived in Mytholmroyd and was married to the Courier’s Elland correspondent Rayner Hardcastle, who died in 1996.

Shirley. who died after a short illness, leaves a son, Benjamin, brothers Robbie and Peter, and sister Penelope.

Said Robbie: “We will miss her. She was well known in the journalistic world.”