A news and sports editor considered among the best journalists in the county he served has died aged 92.

Tributes have been paid to Dave Morgan, who covered Pembrokeshire for both the Western Telegraph and the West Wales Guardian for decades.

Dave, pictured, began his career on the Telegraph in the 1950s but moved to the rival Guardian in the 1970s when then-owner Hector Hammond convinced him to jump ship.

Current Telegraph sports editor Gordon Thomas worked with Dave when he was news editor on the Guardian in the 1980s.

Paying tribute, he said: “On a weekly basis he consistently led his team from the front, covering many breaking and interesting front page scoops plus some highly sought-after national stories.

“This extremely talented all-rounder would cover the nitty-gritty of reporting at court cases, attending council meetings, even writing a church or WI par or anything else that was required covering in the locality.

“He was not afraid of getting his hands dirty, as Dave would and could turn his hand to anything.

“In the good old days of hot metal, way before today’s modern technology, the chain-smoking news hound made sure the front page was personally put to bed every week, and he would join forces with a compositor on the stone, to ensure that the page did not go to press until he was entirely satisfied – such was the high standards, pride and dedication he had for his work.”

Dave was often known to colleagues as ‘Dickie Slush’, a nickname he acquired while at school.

Gordon added: “At the Guardian he guided and instructed journalists in his old-school, forthright manner, where he called a spade a spade.

“He worked long hours, often beyond the call of duty, making sure the paper never missed deadline.

“If a big news story broke, he would stop the press and get it changed – much to the annoyance of the print staff.”

Dave later returned to the Telegraph as sports editor, the position he held upon his retirement.

He is survived by wife Joyce, family and many friends.