“A very sociable man with an infectious laugh” - tributes paid to former Courier reporter Brian Walters

Scores of young reporters learned their craft working alongside Mr Walters in newsrooms across the land in a career spanning more than 50 years. He was immensely proud of his Welsh roots while the five-year post as local government correspondent at the Courier in Halifax proved to be among the happiest times of his life.

Tributes from a string of influential and powerful people described Mr Walters as an excellent journalist with a commitment to trust and honesty - and with considerable journalistic skill.

He would challenge policy decisions and champion causes in equal measure and would put the world to rights at his favourite local with party members of every political shade.

Former Neath MP Lord Peter Hain described Mr Walters as one of the top journalists of his era in Wales where he was born in 1947, the youngest of three children.

His father, Norman, was managing director at the Guardian group of newspapers while his three brothers and uncles were all involved in the press, either in journalism or on the printing side.

On leaving school and after a short spell with the Neath Guardian, Mr Walters moved north working in Accrington and at the West Lancashire Gazette, and then the Halifax Evening Courier.

There followed spells on the Western Mail, Cardiff, the Birmingham Mail, as local government correspondent at the Yorkshire Evening Post and local government correspondent at the Courier.

In the mid-1980s he moved back to Wales as local government editor of the South Wales Evening Post and when the Welsh Assembly was formed in 1999 he took on the duties covering the workings of the Senedd in Cardiff. Mr Walters left the post and worked as political and media advisor to Welsh Assembly member Trish Law. When Mr Walters left the Courier he was succeeded by Courier reporter Michael Peel. “He was a hard act to follow,” said Mr Peel.

“He shunned the traditional way of poring over council minutes in search of material but always managed to turn up a winner.”

Former colleague Edward Riley, who went on to become editor of the Courier, said Mr Walters had an unorthodox way of news gathering: “He put that down to a bulging book of contacts which he called upon whenever the occasion demanded. He had the ability to spot a story and quickly turn it into a little gem. He was a very sociable man with an infectious laugh and a great sense of humour.”

“He was something of a personality at his daughters Vanessa’s school where the teacher would pin up cuttings of the controversial Walters on Wednesday column in the staff room much to her embarrassment. But it goes without saying that the family is immensely proud of dad and what he achieved in his career.”

Mr Walters leaves Vanessa and sons Geraint and Gareth and six grandchildren.

Mr Walters’ funeral is being held at Margan Crematorium, Port Talbot, at noon on Friday, November 8