A journalist who worked on the defunct Sheffield daily the Morning Telegraph before setting up his own PR agency has died aged 80.

David Frith, left, began his career at the Rotherham Advertiser in 1959 and went on to work for both the Telegraph and its sister title the Star.

He had always wanted to be a journalist and got his chance after passing his shorthand exam while working as a clerk in the steel industry.

David died suddenly last month and his funeral took place at Rotherham Crematorium yesterday.

Former Telegraph colleague Keith Farnsworth said: “He had gone to the Advertiser and persuaded them to give him a trial, and he never looked back.

“David started out on his local paper as a late beginner and became an outstanding reporter.”

He later worked for an industrial magazine and then as a press officer for the Newton Chambers factory in Chapeltown.

While there he invited Coronation Street legend Violet Carson – who played Ena Sharples – to the factory to encourage girls to wear hairnets.

Said Keith: “It was one of those occasions people never forgot, it made a lot of headlines. To get an actress like that to come to Chapeltown was quite something.”

David later set up his own successful PR agency, called WFO, which went on to acquire a printing firm now run by his son Andrew.

He leaves his wife June, a son and daughter, and four grandchildren.

Said June: “He loved the job and I was so glad he managed to do it. He always wanted to be a journalist.

“He was a lovely, popular man.  He was a lot of fun and always said he had enjoyed his life, he had no regrets.”