Past and present editors of a regional daily have joined in tribute to a former journalist who has died aged 86.

Mike Grundy was such a legend on the Worcester News that colleagues joked that when he met the late Queen, she should have asked him for his autograph.

Mike, pictured, died at home in Laugherne Road, Worcester.

A tribute piece in his old paper spoke of the ‘wealth of memories’ has left for those who worked alongside him including three of his former editors.

Image: Newsquest

Current editor Stephanie Preece wrote: “As a young journalist I remember being inspired by Mike’s incredible knowledge of Worcester and his obvious passion for the city.

“In return, the respect and affection the people of Worcester had for him was immense. Our paper has benefitted greatly from his many years of service to regional journalism.”

Former editor Kevin Ward said: “Mike was massively respected as a real old-school journalist and a legend in Worcester.”

And Peter John added: “His knowledge and experience were invaluable in the newsroom and his writing was first rate. But most of all he was a true gentleman, a kind and helpful colleague to all.”

Reporter Mike Pryce, who wrote the piece, recalled a joke by photographer Roy Booker – Mike’s companion on many assignments – when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Worcester Cathedral for the Maundy Service in 1982.

Roy asked him: “Did the Queen get your autograph, Grund? She ought to hang on to it, it’ll be worth a bit in years to come!”

Former news editor David Chapman said: “My enduring memory of Grund was his painstaking thoroughness. He was the one reporter I trusted implicitly to turn in a story without it having to be checked by the news desk.

“However, many were the times when I would follow him out of the newsroom and see him walk slowly down the corridor towards the subs’ room, reading through his copy, probably for the umpteenth time, pause, lean against the wall to make a correction to the story, walk on, pause again, make another correction and then, reaching the door to subs, read it all through again while walking around in circles before finally being satisfied with what he had written and handing it in.

“And then he would be worried that he had missed something vital from the story. But, of course, he never had.”

Mike’s funeral will be in The Quire of Worcester Cathedral at 2pm on Tuesday 26 November. The service will be followed by private cremation.