A former regional editor whose career saw him involved in the launch of a national newspaper has died aged 62.

Tributes have been paid to Mike Beardall, who edited both the Middlesex Chronicle and the West Sussex Gazette, lost a battle with cancer at his home in Henfield Sussex.

Mike, pictured below, began his career as a reporter on the Banbury Guardian, in Oxfordshire, before moving on to several Midlands titles.

In the 1980s he moved to the Daily Mail, working as chief sub on its Weekend magazine, before his involvement the launch of the Mail on Sunday in 1982.

Stints at the Sunday Express, Daily Express and Daily Star followed before a return to the regional press as deputy group editor at Surrey & South London Newspapers.

He later took on the editorship of The Groundsman, a position he held for 11 years.

Pete Britton, who worked with Mike at the Groundsman, said: “Mike was a gentle man in every sense of the word, He handled adversity in both his business and private life with dignity and always made himself available to industry colleagues, with the minimum of fuss, when support and assistance was required.

“He was the consummate professional and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”

A tribute to Mike on the Horticulture Week website states: “Over the years he gained an enviable knowledge of the turf and ground care industries and liked nothing better than painting the full picture in his features and all the time promoting the industry.

“(Mike) will be remembered for his dignity, integrity and gentility, respected for his journalism and professionalism and as being always ready to help his colleagues and the industry.”

Mike passed away on Sunday and leaves a son, Ben, daughter Kate and grandchildren Harmony and Ed.

His funeral will be at Warkworth Church on Tuesday, December 23 at 1pm with a wake at the Three Conies pub in Thorpe Mandeville at 2.30pm.