VETERAN sports journalist Ian Wooldridge who began his illustrious career in the New Forest has died in hospital aged 75.

Mr Wooldridge, regarded as one of the greatest sportswriters of his generation, died peacefully after a long battle with cancer.

He continued writing his column in the Daily Mail to the end, having worked at the newspaper for nearly half a century.

Mr Wooldridge left Brockenhurst Grammar School with just two O-levels and worked on the New Milton Advertiser, the Bournemouth Times and the now defunct News Chronicle and Sunday Dispatch before joining the Daily Mail 45 years ago.

First making his name as a cricket correspondent, he went on to cover every major sporting event for the Daily Mail, including ten Olympic Games.

His enthusiasm and lightness of touch gained him a worldwide following and a string of awards: twice newspaper columnist of the year, five times sportswriter of the year and four times sports feature writer of the year.

There were two awards for his lifetime contribution to sports journalism and he was one of the first to be inducted to the newspaper Hall of Fame.

Talking of his career while collecting one award he said: "I started, aged 16, on the New Milton Advertiser with two O-levels in English and art. It has gone in a flash. At the Mail I was a dogsbody for quite a while, then cricket correspondent for eight years and then I took over the column. It's just been such an enjoyable life.

"Journalism has changed a lot. I was brought up in an era when we worked on dry martinis and long lunches and the friendship of great mates. We had a wonderful time and we never broke a confidence."

He often wrote about and visited the New Forest and its issues and characters.

A committed royalist Mr Wooldridge was awarded the OBE for his services to journalism. He leaves a widow, Sarah, and three sons.