Bob Strike, who at 28 became the youngest editor in the country when he took the chair at the Retford Times , has died aged 89.
Born in Preston, Lancashire, Strike started his career on the Chorley Guardian as a 14-year-old junior reporter.
He
then went on to join the Lancashire Daily Post in Preston. When the
family moved south Strike helped his father launch a newspaper for egg
producers, before joining the Chichester Observer .
After
returning from Second World War service he returned to journalism as
editor of the Retford Times . He was then encouraged to go to
Barrow-in-Furness by his brother, already a photographer there. Strike
was appointed editor of the Barrow News, where he stayed for 25 years
until he retired in 1980.
Following his retirement Strike was a Tory county councillor and was chairman of Cumbria County Council from 1993 to 1994.
He leaves behind widow Jean, daughter Sue and son Jeff.
Gordon Brown
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