Former Express & Star chief cashier Harry Jacks has died at the age of 94.

The great-grandfather joined the company as a 14-year-old office boy and spent his entire working life on the staff of the newspaper, retiring in 1977 at the age of 60.

Mr Jacks was born and brought up in Wolverhampton.

He attended Old Hall Street School before starting work at the Express & Star in 1931.

Mr Jacks enlisted in the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War and served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from 1939 until being demobbed at the the end of hostilities in 1945.

He saw action in North Africa and Italy and reached the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Mr Jacks rejoined the staff of the Express & Star after leaving the services. He married wife Rosalie in Chester and they set up home in Tettenhall Wood.

The couple, who have a son, Martin, a 63-year-old health and safety manager, four grandchildren, a great-grand daughter and three great grandsons, later moved to School Close, Shifnal, where he spent much of his retirement pursuing his interests in photography and painting.

Their son said today: “If you cut my dad in half you would find Express & Star written down the middle.

“He loved the place and especially enjoyed the camaraderie of the office. We used to go on regular summer outings with staff and their families to Tal-y-bont in Wales. There were always a good celebration. Then we would head off from there to Fairbourne where we would all play cricket on the beach. They were great days.”

Mr Jacks had been a widower since his wife died in 1994.

He spent the final years of his life at the Maple Court Nursing Home in Stafford where he died last Friday.

His son Martin continued: “He was a great family man. Everybody who met him referred to him as a true gentleman.”

Mr Jacks’ funeral takes place at 10.30am on Friday at Stafford Crematorium. All friends are welcome.