A former editor of The Guardian has died.

John Yates, died on December 30 at his home in Theydon Bois, aged 84.

Mr Yates worked in the newspaper industry for 50 years, many of which were spent in east London and west Essex.

His daughter Jacqueline, said: “He was very much an old-style journalist.

“He was always a believer that you went out to look for a story rather than sit in the office and wait for the story to come to you.”

During his time in the area he was editor of the Loughton and Woodford Gazette, West Essex Gazette series and Group Editor of London and Essex Guardian Newspapers.

Mr Yates joined the Loughton edition of the West Essex Gazette in 1946 after several jobs, including local news correspondent for the Daily Mirror and his first role as a copy boy.

Mr Yates then completed his National Service and returned to the Gazette in 1949.

In the early 1950s he was elected founder chairman of the West Essex and East Hertfordshire branch of the National Union of Journalists and was also the Gazette’s Father of the Chapel for many years.

Mr Yates also joined the Epping and Ongar Magistrates’ bench in 1972 and later became chairman of the bench at Epping. He was also a governor at Theydon Bois Primary School.

Mr Yates leaves his wife, Joan, daughters Jacqueline and Julie, son-in-laws John and Danny, five grandchildren, Ben, Ike, Letty, Jake and Rachel, and two great-grandchildren, Reggie and Paige.