A daily newspaper’s former city editor known for his sense of humour has died aged 80.

Tributes have been paid to Chris Stone, who held the post with Glasgow-based daily The Herald and was a financial journalist for more than 40 years.

Chris spent a decade with the Financial Times before moving to a similar post in Thomson Newspapers for several years.

He then joined The Herald’s London office as deputy city editor in the early 1970s.

In 1990, after the death of city editor Robert Martin, Chris was promoted to replace him and continued in that capacity till taking early retirement in about 1998.

In an obituary for The Herald, Jack Davidson wrote: “He was ‘old school’ in the sense that modern technology was alien to him while his sense of humour kept spirits high in the office, one of his catchphrases being “And so the long day wears on…!'”

“Essentially his was a London-based post, although he did attend Herald headquarters in Glasgow a few times per year for meetings.”

During his time with The Herald, Chris worked from offices in Fleet Street, Jerome Street near Liverpool Street station, Marco Polo House in Battersea and latterly at Clerkenwell Road.

Added Jack: “Former colleague Helen Pridham, who was engaged by him as a freelance to write for The Herald for many years on personal finance, considered him a kind and very sociable man.

“She appreciated his giving her free rein to write and the confidence this instilled in her and others such as Diana Wright, later editor of the Sunday Times personal finance section.

“They recalled how he treated everyone the same irrespective of position, his healthy scepticism of politicians and the positive attitude he had to life. Reunions in the ‘Bottlescrue’ wine bar near St Paul’s were much enjoyed particularly for his 80th birthday.”

Chris is survived by his wife Jennifer, children Arabella, Jessica and Jonathan, and grandchildren, Lola, Ruby, Alex and Mathilda.