A retired former council reporter and church correspondent described as “generous” with his time to young reporters has died, aged 83.

Guy Fleming (pictured) spent two decades working on the Western Morning News and The Herald in Plymouth, joining from the Worthing Herald in 1980.

He was initially the local government reporter, but as an active Christian he also followed religious matters and for nine years, finishing in 2000, he produced the weekly Around the Churches feature in The Herald.

He died on June 26 at St Barnabas House Hospice, in Worthing, West Sussex.

His former colleague Richard Longford, who replaced Guy as the council reporter before becoming head of communications at the city council, paid tribute.

“Guy was well known to Plymouth councillors during his time at The Herald as he spent many hours attending meetings,” said Richard, who is now head of communications at the city council,” he told the Herald.

“He was one of the old hands in the office and had a vast knowledge about the city. He was always generous with his time to share his knowledge with his less-experienced colleagues.”

As well as being a man of the church, Guy was also interested in history and wrote eight books detailing local events through time.

After leaving the West Country, he returned to Worthing and to his old paper, where he once again took up the role of church matters correspondent.

A funeral service for Guy will be at the Tabernacle Church in Chapel Road, Worthing, at 2pm on Thursday (July 11).