A former regional daily picture editor and chief photographer has died aged 78 following a battle with cancer.

Newcastle-born John Napier moved from his hometown paper The Chronicle to the Lancashire Telegraph in the 1980s, staying there for more than 25 years until his retirement in 2010.

Among his many assignments for the LT was a trip to Sudan in 1986 to report first-hand on the drought and famine there as part of a campaign launched by the paper called Lifeline Sudan.

In the same year he also took part in a balloon flight over Darwen, managing to get some aerial shots of the town while in the sky.

In his role as picture editor,  John oversaw the introduction of new technology into the photographic department, initially with the move from black-and-white to a full colour operation, and then later, from prints to digital scanning.

Although John was primarily head of the picture desk, he continued to utilise his skills as a photographer, covering the infamous Burnley Riots, and was one of the first photographers on the scene at the Abbeystead Disaster

John, pictured, died on 7th April.  He had been suffering from cancer for the past year.

Tributes were led by his son Andy Napier who described him as “very open, friendly, and an excellent father to the three of us.”

Mr Napier said: “Photography was a hobby as well as his job. When you go through his house there are a lot of photos of the family and from trips.

“He died after being diagnosed with cancer. He fought against it for the last year but he succumbed to it in the end.”

John also leaves two other children, Suzanne Regan and Richard Napier, and grandchildren James and George Napier, and Isobel and Ben Regan.

His funeral will be held on Friday 26th April at Pleasington Crematorium.