A journalist who ran the newsdesk of a weekly newspaper series for a quarter of a century has died aged 69.

Tributes have been paid to Peter Dewhurst, who spent 25 years as news editor of the Leader Times Series, covering the Nelson, Colne and West Craven, in East Lancashire.

Peter, pictured, began his working life with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

He also worked on the Burnley Evening Star before joining the Leader Times Series.

Peter Magill, former chief reporter of the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale edition of the Lancashire Telegraph, told his old paper: “Peter was a great help when I started out in East Lancashire.

“He was very well-known around Pendle and had the interests of people in Nelson and Colne at heart in everything he reported on.”

Peter, who had suffered from ill-health in recent years, died on 30 December.

Funeral details will be announced in due course.