One of the “unsung heroes” of a regional daily in the second half of the 20th century has died aged 86.

Keith Innis, pictured left, spent 46 years on the editorial team of the Worcester Evening News and Berrow’s Newspapers.

During his time there Keith served in roles including general and sports reporter, senior reporter, theatre and entertainment critic, sub-editor, features editor, chief sub-editor and assistant editor.

In an obituary to him on the website of the News, Keith was described as “one of the unsung heroes of this newspaper for nearly half a century” who was “a prominent, popular and accomplished member of the editorial team”.

Worcester born and raised, Keith undertook National Service mainly with the Military Police in Gibraltar.

On demob around 1950 he joined the editorial staff of the Evening News and Times at its former Trinity House base.

Of his time with the newspapers, which ended upon retirement in 1996, the obituary reads: “In these roles, Mr Innis would have helped significantly to chronicle the life and times of the city and county through the second half of the 20th Century.

“Throughout his teenage and adult life, Keith was an enthusiastic and keenly competitive amateur sportsman, accumulating quite a large collection of medals from his sporting exploits.

“He was a leading local rugby and tennis player as a young man and was a winning athlete and runner, particularly during his military service.

“He played cricket for Berrow’s Newspapers and was a talented table-tennis player. But his great sporting love in later years was golf which he played on courses around the area particularly at Upper Sapey and Perdiswell.”

Keith is survived by widow Sue – his wife of 40 years – two sons, a step-son, a step-daughter, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

His daughter Sally, who was employed in the photographic department of the Worcester Evening News for some years, died at a comparatively young age.