A deputy editor described as a “gentleman” of the press has died aged 89.

Tributes have been paid to Don Ludlow, who worked on the Northern Echo group of newspapers for almost 50 years.

Don, pictured, served as deputy editor on both Darlington’s now-defunct Evening Despatch and the free Advertiser series.

Andrew Smith, former editor of The Northern Echo, gave the eulogy at Don’s funeral.

He said: “I think I speak for all his journalist friends and former colleagues in saying that it was a genuine privilege to have known Don and to have worked with him.

“He was, in the words of several former colleagues, a gentleman.”

Former colleague June Hawden told the Echo he was “a good teacher”.

She said: “He steered me through – always very calm and he never said a bad word about anybody.”

Don began his career as a trainee reporter in his hometown of Macclesfield, moving to North of England Newspapers, publishers of the Northern Echo and Evening Despatch, in the 1960s.

He initially worked on the Evening Despatch, rising through the ranks to become its chief sub-editor.

He was appointed deputy editor in 1978, holding the position until the newspaper’s closure in 1986.

Don then became deputy editor of the advertising features department, which served all the centre’s newspapers, but switched to the same job at the Advertiser series when they were launched.

He was also group motoring correspondent and became a member of the Northern Group of Motoring Writers shortly after its inception in the 1960.

Don was later honoured with a life membership of the group in recognition of his long service.

He initially retired in the late 1990s but he soon returned to the Advertisers as a part-time sub-editor for many more years, finally retiring when he was well into his 70s.