A long-standing former sports journalist who worked for newspapers in Birmingham for around 70 years has died at the age of 95.

Ted Richardson started his career in 1930 as a sports journalist at The Birmingham Gazette and Despatch and later worked as the greyhound reporter for the Birmingham Mail for 20 years.

He retired at the age of 65 but continued working in a freelance capacity for the Sunday Mercury and The Sports Argus until finally hanging up his notepad in 2000.

Ted died at the end of last year and tributes have been paid to the respected journalist.

Ian Johnson, former sports editor of the Birmingham Mail, said: “Ted was absolutely devoted to greyhounds and was so highly respected within the sport it was untrue. He was so reliable and knew everything and everyone in the greyhound world.

“He was a lovely man and loved his sport. He was a great, great contributor to sport in Birmingham.”

Between 1930 and 1956, Ted worked for The Birmingham Gazette and Despatch, as well as spending many years as a journalist and editor on The Sporting Buff, where his byline was Major Kettle.

In 1956, the Gazette Group was taken over by the Birmingham Post and Mail and Ted took the position of greyhound reporter for the Birmingham Mail until his retirement, which involved the production of a daily page in the midday edition of the newspaper.

His son Bill Richardson, 67, said: “My father was very pleasant to people and worked very, very hard.

“He was very active and his main interest was sport of all kinds, in particular tennis, golf, snooker and darts.”