JOHN HAYNES, who was employed by the Kent Messenger Group as a production journalist for more than 30 years, has died at a hospice in the county. He was 73.

Among the posts he held with the company were chief sub editor of the KM, group features editor, production editor of the Evening Post/Kent Today and revise editor. He retired in 1999.

The funeral will take place at Charing Crematorium, near Ashford, on Friday, August 31, at 2pm.

Mr Haynes, who had been ill for the last few months, died in the Pilgrims Hospice at Canterbury at the weekend. Mr Haynes began is career as a copy boy at £2.5s a week on the old News Chronicle in 1950.

He joined the KM Group as a sub-editor in 1965, having previously worked for the Tonbridge Free Press and the Kent and Sussex Courier.

He had three sons from his first marriage. In 1985 he married Carol Philpot who predeceased him.

In recent years Mr Haynes lived in the village of Woodchurch, near Ashford, having previously lived in the Maidstone area.

Norman Smith, a former managing editor of the KM Group, said: "Throughout his long career at the KM John was a stickler for accuracy, both in facts and the English language. He became a mentor for many young journalists, whose later careers owed a lot to his words of wisdom.

"Newspapers were in his blood and even in retirement he was forever digging out stories and tip-offs, particularly for the Kentish Express. He also became closely involved with various aspects of Woodchurch life.

"Having known John and worked closely with him for many years, I will miss him."

The current managing editor of the KM Group, Ron Green, who worked with Mr Haynes for a number of years, said: "John was held in high regard by colleagues for his high professional standards and an eagle-eyed attention to detail.

"His enviable knowledge of the English language meant he was able to spot mistakes others missed - and heaven help the sub-editor who allowed an errant apostrophe to find its way on to one of our pages."