A national broadcaster whose career began on his local weekly newspaper has achieve his ambition of becoming an editor thanks to a regional daily.

The Argus, Brighton, invited BBC News presenter Nicholas Owen to guest edit last Thursday’s edition of the paper.

Nicholas, who began his journalism career on the Surrey Mirror at the age of 17, told readers in an editorial that he has a “particular fondness” for The Argus because his wife Brenda worked there as a district reporter in Crawley from the mid-1980s until 2002.

He also wrote a first-person piece about his day in the newsroom, and ran a double page spread looking back on his career.

In his guest column, he wrote: “My heart was in the newspaper business. And it has remained so. I always tell youngsters who think they want to be journalists that nothing beats your by-line on the printed page.

“‘By Nicholas Owen’ thrills me to this day. No television or radio work ever gives you quite that satisfaction.”

He added: “I have had so many journalistc adventures. I am honoured now to have climbed, just for one day, all the way to be an editor.”

Andrew Parkes, group managing editor for Newsquest South London and Sussex, said: “The best thing about Nicholas Owen was the way he wanted to be involved with everything – he really was excited at being abler to spend the day with us.

“Also, he was perfectly happy to put in the hours – there was no question of him sloping off at 5.30.

“The other nice thing was that he recognised just how hard young journalists have to work these days and was really complimentary about the team.

“He was very quick to say that with the added pressure created by social media he’s not sure how he’d handle a newsroom these days. It was an absolute pleasure to have him in and we’d welcome him back any time.”