A journalist who would cycle 18 miles for a story and became known by readers in Fenland as the face of Archant Norfolk’s Eastern Daily Press has died suddenly at the age of 82.

George Wells who spent 46 years as a journalist retired after 28 years as district reporter at the title in May 1991, at which point Fenland District Council awarded him a individual civic shield because they felt he was an “exemplary journalist of class and quality.”

His journalism career started on the Newmarket Journal in 1945 where he spent 18 years and met many rising stars including a 14-year-old Lulu and virtually unknown comic, Frankie Howerd.

He covered the villages of East Cambridgeshire on a cycle, sometimes riding 18 miles on a single job. In one village news items were left for him under an ash tray at the British Legion Club.

He also reported for the Cambridge Daily News until he moved to the capital of the fens. In his career, he reported countless stories including the 1978 Wisbech floods in which one person died and a quarter of the town went under water.

George was also a keen sportsman and played cricket and football. He wrote authoritatively on sport and in retirement played bowls and captained a local team.

He also supported amateur dramatic productions, especially the Angles Theatre.

Geroge, who died suddenly at his Wisbech home, married Monica in 1954 and leaves a son, Dennis, who lives in Australia, daughter Gail and six granddaughters.