ARNOLD Hadwin OBE, a former assistant editor at the Oxford Mail, has died aged 82.

Mr Hadwin joined the Oxford Mail as a reporter in 1951.

He rose to assistant editor before leaving to become editor of the Darlington Evening Despatch in 1964.

Peter Sykes, former deputy news editor of the Oxford Mail and editor of The Oxford Times, said: “He was a jolly good journalist and always happy. I don’t think I ever saw him sad.”

Mr Hadwin was editor of the Bradford Telegraph and Argus from 1973 until 1984 and was group editor of a group of Lincolnshire papers up to his retirement in 1989.

He also helped to launch the pre-entry course in journalism at the Darlington College of Technology.

Mr Hadwin lived in Langworth, Lincolnshire, following the death of his wife, Edna.

He leaves two daughters, Sara and Julie, who both followed him into journalism, and two grandchildren.