A weekly reporter who died while hillwalking in the Highlands is to be recognised for his contribution to journalism with a lifetime achievement award.

Clive Dennier, left, was found dead at the end of May, two months after colleagues at the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald reported him missing after he went hill-walking.

Now Clive, 50, has been named as the recipient of this year’s Barron Trophy by the organisers of the Highlands and Islands Media Awards.

Gordon Fyfe, chairman of the Highlands and Islands Media Awards judging panel, said Clive was “sorely missed.”

Said Gordon: “The Highland journalistic family lost one of its most popular members with the sudden and untimely death of Clive, who was an excellent newspaper reporter, being reliable fair and accurate at all times.

“He was also a very sociable person, who was a very good friend to many people in the newspaper industry.

“The Barron Trophy recognises lifetime achievement in journalism in the Highlands and Islands and we are unanimously of the view that Clive’s outstanding contribution to journalism in this distinctive corner of Scotland deserves our recognition. Clive is sorely missed.”

Clive went missing in March after telling friends he was going hillwalking at the weekend.

He was based at the Herald’s Kingussie office and was reported missing by worried work colleagues after failing to turn up to work at the Grantown office, where he was covering holiday leave for editor Gavin Musgrove.

Four days later, his Volkswagen Polo was found in the remote Knoydart area, resulting in organised searches of the area.

His body was eventually discovered in a river at Kinloch Hourn on 31 May and a post mortem later stated that he had died from the result of a head injury and drowning.

It is hoped that members of his family will be able to attend the press awards on 7 February at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness to receive the trophy which is an annual award for lifetime achievement in journalism in the region.

Strathspey editor Gavin Musgrove said: “Clive was not one to put himself forward for journalism awards despite being a very talented reporter. He was self-effacing and just liked to get on with the job which he did exceedingly well.

“Everyone at the Strathy is touched by this gesture by the judges and I know Clive’s family are proud that the huge contribution he made to journalism in the Highlands since moving here in the mid 1990s is being recognised in this way.”