Bahrain's Gulf Daily News (GDN) deputy editor Les Horton has died in London after a 14-month battle against cancer.

Horton, 56, who had been receiving treatment for cancer since October last year, died at London University Hospital in the early hours of yesterday.

He is survived by his wife Sara and three children - Noor, six, Jasmine, four, and James, two.

Al Hilal Group chairman and Akhbar Al Khaleej editor-in-chief Anwar Abdulrahman paid tribute to Horton. "I have known him for nearly a quarter of a century and found him to be always caring for his staff - more than he cared for himself," he said.

"He never had a personal request or a demand and always fought for his staff."

Abdulrahman described him as a highly professional journalist with a nose for news. "He was one of Bahrain's top journalists who played a vital role in the development of the GDN," he said.

Al Hilal Group managing director Ronnie Middleton said the GDN had lost a leader with "moral values and integrity".

"In the passing of Les, we have lost one of Al Hilal Group's stalwarts who always brought a touch of quality to his work," he said.

Middleton added that Horton dedicated much of his life to the newspaper.
 "He trained countless young journalists and always fought for justice," he said.

"There was a stamp of moral values and integrity to his work. We are very saddened at his passing."

Horton was born in 1955 in Meriden, England, and worked for established regional daily newspaper the Express and Star, in the UK, before joining the GDN in December 1987 as a sub-editor.

Two years later he was made news editor and was elevated to deputy editor in January 1992. -TradeArabia News Service