FUNERAL details have been released for a stalwart of the newspaper industry in York who died aged 76.

As The Press reported earlier this month, York newspaper industry stalwart Barry Sellers died while on holiday.

Barry, joined the then Evening Press back in 1971, as a "class two" worker in the dispatch room in York, retiring 35 years later in 2006, with colleagues saying at the time he was "the best guy they've ever worked with".

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Barry, who lived in Stockton on the Forest, died on Friday (July 28) just four days after celebrating his 76th birthday. He was on a river cruise through Switzerland and Germany with his wife, Elaine, and they were in Frankfurt Airport when Barry suddenly became unwell and died.

Elaine says the family has now had confirmation that Barry died of a heart attack, as was first suspected, and a funeral date has been set for Monday, September 4 at 1pm at Holy Trinity Church in Stockton on Forest. The service will be followed by a private cremation and a wake will be held at Forest Park Golf Club in the village.

After Barry's death, Bill Hearld, a former deputy editor of The Press, who worked with him for many years paid tribute to his character and work ethic.

He said: “Barry was a great colleague and a larger-than-life character. He was always cheerful and enjoyed a laugh - and a pint.

“He believed in the paper and nobody worked harder to promote it, always pitching in with a passion. He will be sadly missed.”

Former chief reporter Mike Laycock said: "Barry was a good colleague of mine at the paper for many years - someone with a good sense of humour and good to chat to.

“He was also a good contact, who knew what was going on in the York community and would regularly call me with a tip off on a story.

“This carried on after he retired. I’d regularly get an email from Barry, often about things happening in his village, Stockton on the Forest, right up until I retired earlier this year.

“I’d like to extend my condolences to Barry’s family, to whom this must have come as a shattering shock.”

He went to Nunthorpe School and met Elaine in 1971 at the Cat's Whiskers nightclub which was at one time on the site of the old Mecca Bingo in Fishergate. They married on August 31 1974 and have lived in Upper St Paul's Terrace in Holgate and Osbaldwick as well as Stockton on Forest.

The couple have two sons, Paul and Mark, three grandchildren, Megan, Hannah and Benji and two step granddaughters, Chloe and Olivia.