A former deputy news editor who spent almost 40 years with a regional daily died after suffering a stroke, a coroner has ruled.

Alan Calvert, who worked at the Bolton News from May 1966 until his retirement in March 2005, died aged 72 on 13 November last year.

An inquest into Alan’s death heard how on 10 November last year he seemed fit and well before early the next morning his wife Margaret noticed that he had become agitated, his speech slurred and that his face had dropped on one side.

According to a reporter by the News, Mrs Calvert immediately called for an ambulance and Alan, pictured, was taken to Salford Royal Hospital from their home in the Bolton suburb of Harwood.

Despite treatment his condition deteriorated over the following 24 hours, and it was decided to move him to palliative care.

Speaking at the inquest, neurologist Dr Richard Protheroe said: “Mr Calvert could have had the haemorrhage at any point because of his age, and even without treatments it could have been just as disastrous.”

In a narrative conclusion at Bolton Coroner’s Court, assistant coroner Timothy Brennand recorded a cause of death of spontaneous intra-cerebral haemorrhage, exacerbated by intermittent atrial fibrillation treated with apixaban, and chronic lymphatic leukaemia treated with Ibrutinib.

Born on 12 March 1945, Alan studied journalism at Preston College before becoming a reporter at his hometown newspaper the Lytham St Anne’s Express.

A “fierce” supporter of local journalism, Alan moved to Bolton aged 21, joining the Bolton Evening News where he held numerous positions, including business editor and deputy news editor, before his retirement in his 60s.

He is also survived by children Phil and Francis, and grandchildren Lucy and Emma.

Speaking to his former paper, Mrs Calvert said: “I would like to thank all the hospital staff at the Royal Bolton and Salford Royal Hospitals, the paramedics and all the nursing teams.

“Alan was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He was a genuinely lovely man and we miss him so much all the time.”