A journalist who was once the youngest editor in the country has died two weeks short of his 85th birthday.

Roy Bustin was 29 when he took charge of the newly-launched Bracknell News in 1959 after beginning his career with the Reading Mercury aged 16.

The News quickly established itself as the town’s leading newspaper and Roy remained at the helm until 1980.

All told he remained in journalism for more than 30 years with his only gap being National Service in Germany from 1947 to 1949.

Roy Bustin was once the youngest editor in the country

After his stint i Germany he returned to newspapers as the Bracknell district reporter on the Berkshire Chronicle, now the News’s sister paper the Reading Chronicle.

With the town growing quickly, owners the Reading Newspaper Company believed a dedicated paper was needed for Bracknell.

They approached Mr Bustin and Bert Melhuish, and the first Bracknell News was published on 5 February, 1959.

Maurice O’Brien, editor of the Reading Chronicle, paid tribute to Roy’s work ethic.  “Roy was an old-fashioned journalist whose week was not finished until the paper had been put to bed,” he told the Bracknell News.

Opting for a change in career, Roy eventually left the editor’s role to work in the care industry, first at the now defunct Church Hill House in Bracknell and then later for Wokingham District Council.

He continued to live in the area and spent 20 years in All Saints’ Close, in Wokingham, before he moved into Warren Lodge care home in Finchampstead, for the final 18 months of his life.

Roy died on 26 January at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, aged 84.

He  leaves a widow, Barbara, 80, three children, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.