A LONG-STANDING local newspaper journalist and "wonderful man" who was born and grew up in the Vale of White Horse has died aged 77.

Alan Johnson spent well over half his life working in various capacities for the Swindon Advertiser, part of the same paper group as the Oxford Mail.

Born in 1939 in Wantage, Alan attended King Alfred School and joined the then-Swindon Evening Advertiser in 1957 as a reporter and sub editor.

After leaving the area for family reasons he returned in 1970, working initially as a sub editor, then deputy chief sub in 1972, chief sub in 1974 and news editor in 1977.

He was finally appointed sports editor in 1990, a position in which his comprehensive knowledge of local sports became invaluable.

Such was his importance that a year after retiring he was asked back on a part-time basis.

He continued to live in Oxfordshire throughout his time at the Advertiser in Stanford-in-the-Vale and later Shellingford.

Sports editor Owen Houlihan, who first worked with Alan in 2001, said: “As a young journalist, sitting alongside him was like having a walking, talking encyclopaedia.

“Alan’s decades of experience meant that when he spoke, you listened – and you always learned something.

“His knowledge, wisdom and experience, as well as the support he gave me at an early point in my career were invaluable and something I’ll always cherish.”

Fellow former colleague Paul Welinus, who worked at the paper from 1975 to 1979 before moving to Fleet Street and later the BBC, said: “Alan was a great bloke, and was not at all like the stereotypical highly strung and loud-mouthed newspapermen often seen in fiction.

"It would be hard to find anyone who had a bad word to say about him, and most of us who worked closely with him loved him dearly. He will be sorely missed.”

Mr Johnson passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 3 at home with his wife and family. His funeral was held on Friday, July 22.