A former political editor dubbed the ‘calmest man in journalism’ by one ex-colleague has died aged 88.

Tributes have been paid to Mervyn Pauley, former politics editor of Northern Ireland daily the News Letter.

Mervyn, pictured, who retired in 2001, died earlier this month after a short illness.

His funeral was held at Rosemary Presbyterian Church in Nnorth Belfast on January 22.

Former News Letter journalist, now BBC man, Mark Simpson said:  “Very sad news. Mervyn was the calmest man I ever met in journalism at Stormont (and with the neatest notebook).

“No ego. A gentle, generous, modest and kind colleague. I looked up to him when I joined the News Letter in 1990 and still do. RIP Mervyn.”

Sandra Chapman, a former long-time News Letter columnist who first met Mervyn when they worked together on the Belfast Telegraph, added: “He knew his stuff. I learned a lot from reading his articles.

“He was always very anxious to get both sides of everything. He just didn’t sit down and write it off the top of his head – he did his homework.

“I remember his accuracy. He never missed a beat, honestly. I don’t ever remember Mervyn Pauley geting anything wrong.

“He must have studied every night all those politicians, because he knew them all off by heart. He was a wonderful man.”