A journalist who went on to become a director of 16 media companies as well as launching his own title has died aged 91.

Douglas May, left, started out on the Slough Observer aged 17 and within ten years had graduated to Fleet Street, working on the Daily Herald, the News Chronicle and finally Lord Beaverbrook’s Daily Express, then the biggest-circulation daily in the world.

But he left the nationals to launch his own title in Shropshire before going on to become a senior executive at a series of regional media companies.

His daughter Nicola Priest also went into journalism, becoming an award-winning editor before retiring from the Warrington Guardian in 2014.

Douglas, who died on 19th April, was conscripted for compulsory national service a year after joining the Observer, and was chosen as a secretary to a general at the War Office on account of his good shorthand and typing.

Returning to the paper after being demobbed, he was found to be suffering from tuberculosis and was given three months to live, but against all expectations he survived after spending two years in hospital.

As well as working in Fleet Street, he also wrote scripts for BBC radio and television and appeared several times on TV.

He left London to launch his own title, the Dawley Observer in what is now Telford, Shropshire, but sold it after three years and became editor-in-chief of the Bedfordshire Times.

In 1975 Douglas moved to the North West to become chief executive of Cheshire County Newspapers, now part of Newsquest, which included the Warrington Guardian.

He was later elected President of the North West Newspaper Society and also served as a chairman of the Guild of British Newspaper Editors.

By the time he took early retirement at 56 he was a director of 16 media companies including two commercial radio stations which he helped to found, one of which, Piccadilly Radio in Manchester, was the largest outside London.

His latter years were spent in Somerset where he loved walking, gardening and sampling beer in country pubs.

Douglas married Pauline at the age of 25 and had three daughters.

Said Nicola: “He was hugely proud of his family and loved spending time with them in Bristol and Cheshire.”

Douglas leaves two daughters, Nicola and Fiona, five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

His funeral will be held on 9th May at 2pm in Minchinhampton Parish Church, Stroud, where he will be buried alongside his wife Pauline.