An 80-year-old former editor who was still filing copy last week has died after a 64-year career in journalism.

Tributes have been paid to John Yates, who most recently worked as a rugby league writer for Liverpool World.

John, pictured, also edited the Darwen Advertiser and News, the Prescot and Huyton Reporter and the Kirkby Reporter during his career.

He was still filing St Helens rugby league reports last Monday, just four days before he passed away.

St Helens Star sports writer Mike Critchley wrote in an obituary for the newspaper: “Having done the job for so long, John had such a great sense of anticipation that he knew which questions his press colleagues were going to ask in conferences – so much so that he would often finish our sentences off for us.

“Some weeks he’s do likewise with the coach’s answer.

“There was a professionalism and pride about his work, and like us all, he knew it was a privilege to be at ringside to cover some of the greatest moments in the history of St Helens.

“John may not have been born here, but St Helens is a town that he adopted and we did likewise in return. And he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”

Burscough-born John began his career on the Ormskirk Advertiser in 1959, working as a junior reporter covering both news and sport.

He joined the Skelmersdale Reporter in 1969, and in 1973 he was appointed editor of the Darwen Advertiser and News.

John later went on to edit the titles in Kirkby and Prescot and Huyton before becoming editor of specialist title The Rugby Leaguer in 1982.

He returned to the regional press with the St Helens Reporter as deputy editor and sports editor.

Mike wrote: “As a journalist he always remembered who he was writing for, and his delivery was always concise.

“In interviews and press conferences he had a way of cutting through the waffle to cut to the chase and get to the story – and was never afraid to bowl an early bouncer in the over so to speak.

“John’s personality traits came through in the colour of his writing, but on occasion he did leave some of his interviewees baffled by his old-fashioned sayings.

“In one press conference, in the middle of Saints’ rollercoaster 2014 season, he asked then coach Nathan Brown: ‘Does that result show that you’re nobody’s Aunt Sallies?’

“It was definitely an expression that was lost in translation on the Australian boss, who did not know where to start.

“John was hugely popular among fellow journalists across the rugby league circuit – and much of that was down to his warm and welcoming personality.”

John, who outlived his wife Christine, is survived by daughters Jacqueline and Catherine, grandchildren Kirsty, Katie, Jade, James and Hollie, and great-grandchildren Jacob and Amelia.