JOURNALIST Brian Caven, former editorial director of Citizen Newspapers and Head of IT for Newsquest in Lancashire, has died aged 64.

Mr Caven, who was semi-retired, lived in Lammack Road, Blackburn, but had been staying with his daughter Alison at her home in Buxton for the past few weeks.

He was taken ill there and died the following day in Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport.

He started his journalistic career with the Southport Visiter and went to London where he worked on the Evening News while doing shifts on several of the national newspapers.

After a few months in southern Spain he returned to England and became a sub editor on the Lancashire Evening Post at Preston before joining the Daily Express in Manchester.

From there he joined the Post, the Warrington-based national launched by Eddie Shah, and when that folded he became chief sub on the new evening Chester Tonight.

He joined the Citizen group in 1989 and later developed a keen interest in information technology management while retaining editorial control of the weekly newspapers.

Mr Caven leaves three daughters, Jane, Alison and 14-year-old Leah, former partner Jane Law and her son Daniel, and a grandson Lyndon.

Former colleague Harold Heys said: "Brian was a legend in journalism.

"He could drink anyone under the table and smoked more than Vesuvius.

"He was a role model for all aspiring journalists.

"And he was also a great newspaper man. He could write a better headline than anyone I've known.

"A lot of younger journalists have Brian to thank for helping them in their early careers."

A service and cremation at Pleasington is being arranged by Alty Funeral Services, Blackburn.