Death of well-known Echo reporter

3:24pm Friday 9th May 2008

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BRIAN Redhead, one of the region's longest-serving newspaper reporters, has died. He was 61.

Mr Redhead, the Bedale reporter for The Northern Echo and the Darlington & Stockton Times, died suddenly at his home on Thursday evening.

A post mortem will be carried out but there were no apparent suspicious circumstances.

Mr Redhead, of Aiskew Crossing, Bedale, joined what was North of England Newspapers, publishers of the Darlington & Stockton Times, as a junior reporter working in Darlington in 1964. Two years later he joined the staff of the towns then evening newspaper, the Evening Despatch.

He worked as a sub-editor, features editor and deputy chief sub-editor before, in 1981, returning to be a reporter on the D&S, based in Thirsk but primarily covering his home town, Bedale.

He also had spells working in the Northallerton office.

Malcolm Warne, editor of the Darlington & Stockton Times, said: "What Brian didnt know about Bedale wasnt worth knowing.

"Throughout the time I have known him, Brian set the standard for authoritative local reporting. He will be much missed."

For the last two years, as he neared retirement, Mr Redhead had worked three days a week.

He was renowned for his coverage of transport matters, particularly the Wensleydale Railway, which he lived next to, and local government. His enthusiasms were films and gardening.