A FORMER Lancashire Telegraph journalist, who died following a chronic illness, has been described as an ‘intelligent and outgoing man’ by his family.

Andrew Calvert worked at the Blackburn-based newspaper on two occasions during his career as a journalist.

The father-of-two, who lived in Accrington with wife, Christine, died last month at the age of 64.

Mr Calvert had studied at St Mary’s College, Blackburn, before going straight into the world of newspapers in 1973 at just 18.

Mr Calvert started out as a reporter at the Clitheroe Advertiser before moving to the Lancashire Telegraph six years later.

After around a decade with the newspaper, he went into public relations with Lancashire Enterprise, as well as helping to launch Lancashire Business View magazine in 2005, which he also edited for three years.

Mr Calvert had returned to the Lancashire Telegraph around the turn of the millennium to work as business editor.

Mrs Calvert, 66, said the pair had been married for 41 years.

She said: “Andrew was an intelligent man and was quite the outgoing person.

“He was an interesting bloke to talk to.

“He loved newspapers and would read one every day, he was also very forward thinking and began reading the news online as it started moving that way.

“We loved going on cruises together and we tried to do a lot of things as a couple. He was well known in East Lancashire through his work.

“He loved writing and his work was his passion.”

Mr Calvert was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 15 years ago which started to have a noticeable impact in his later years and he retired in 2013.

Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View who worked with Mr Calvert during his time with the magazine, said: “Andrew was a fantastic journalist and a great story teller.

“He was a brilliant grammarian and had studied Latin at college.

“He was a big character and a good bloke to be around.”

Mr Calvert’s funeral took place at the St Anne's RC Church in Accrington and he was buried at Accrington Cemetery. He also leaves children Daniel and Helen, and granddaughter Martha.