As a reporter and later editor during a career spanning more than 40 years with the Kentish Gazette in Canterbury, Alan Bensted was a doyen of "old school" newspaper journalism in the county.

Now his sad passing aged 89 has prompted many tributes from his former newsroom colleagues.

Alan attended the Faversham Grammar School and had ambitions to be a journalist from an early age.

His love for both reporting and sport, especially cricket, came together as he began filing results reports for the Faversham News from matches on the recreation ground.

And his enthusiasm led to him being offered a cub reporter’s job on the newspaper in 1948.

In his personal memories penned in recent years, he fondly recalled a brewery conveniently located next to the office.

After two years of National Service in the RAF, Alan returned to the newsroom, only to find himself dispatched to the office of the Sheerness Times Guardian.

But he eventually gained a place at the Kentish Gazette as a sports writer which was the start of his distinguished career with the newspaper, culminating in him becoming editor in 1971.

One of his keenest projects while in charge was supporting the Canterbury and District Recorder ‘talking newspaper’, founded by Dennis Eldridge in 1965, which provided audio recordings of Gazette stories for the blind.

It led to the charity being honoured with a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2006. The service continues to thrive today.

Alan retired as editor in 1995 but continued to be active, although his health had declined in recent years.

He died at the QEQM Hospital in Margate in the early hours of Sunday following a suspected heart attack.

Many of his former newsroom colleague have paid tribute to him.

Writing on the Old Boormans Facebook page, set up to keep former Kent Messenger Group employees in touch, Mary Whelan says: “A giant of good old-fashioned community newspapers.

“Alan was a local rags legend, who will live on in our fond memories of a golden era of journalism.”

Former Gazette chief sub-editor Roger Mapstone adds: “Had newspapers - and cricket - running through his veins. Such a lovely man.”

“Really sad news but not a bad innings (he’d have liked that),” says Shane Jarvis.

“The man who took me into the industry when I was just 18.

“I’ll always be grateful to Alan, among the greats of proper, down to earth, no-nonsense local journalism.”

Alan’s passion for local news was only matched by his love of cricket and his second home was his beloved Street End Club at Lower Hardres.

It began for him on a cold December evening in 1980 at the Maiden's Head in Canterbury where Lower Hardres Cricket Club and Chaucer Cricket Club (Alan’s club at the time) met and agreed to merge. This resulted in the formation of the Street End Cricket Club which was to become Alan’s spiritual home.

The first game was played at Street End in April 1981 and on his retirement from the Gazette in 1995, Alan threw himself into bettering the club’s facilities, working tirelessly with Philip Marsh to help rebuild the dilapidated pavilion and start a junior section of the club.

As a result, hundreds of children took up the game and owe their passion for it to Alan.

Alan captained the Sunday team and held the role of club chairman for decades, helping to promote the club with weekly reports of matches in the Gazette.

He played his last game for Street End in 2001, eventually stepping away from the committee in 2007.

He continued to umpire up until the end of 2019 when he reluctantly retired, although he did score the indoor matches until the pandemic arrived.

Current club chairman Kevin Hopper said: “His love for everything to do with the game allowed him to be a master tactician and a real leader of men.

"We have lost a friend, teammate, leader and huge part of us as a club..."

“The outline of Alan stood at first slip is a memory that every Street End player will remember with fondness and joy.

“Alan’s personality shaped junior and recreational cricket across the whole of east Kent for several decades but Street End was his spiritual home.

“Alan was the face and voice of Street End and will live on in our memories at our club.

“We have lost a friend, teammate, leader and huge part of us as a club.

“We will miss him terribly and send our condolences to all his family.”

Alan leaves his wife Hilary, son Philip and daughter Debra.

His funeral will take place at 10am on Friday, February 17, at Barham Crematorium, followed by a wake at the Chiesman Pavilion at Kent County Cricket Club's Spitfire Ground.

Donations are welcome to the Canterbury and District Recorder or Street End Cricket Club.