A former reporter whose stories helped boost the profile of a city arport has died aged 92.

During a career that saw him work for a number of regional and national titles, Charles Henn specialised in covering airports, sometimes interviewing politicians and film stars as they flew in and out of the UK.

After a spell working at Heathrow for the Brenard news agency, he moved to the North West in 1954 to cover Manchester’s growing airport for the same employer.

His news stories helped to raise the airport’s profile and are credited with aiding its eventual growth to international status.

Charles, left, who was universally known as ‘Chick’, began his career in journalism with the Surrey Advertiser before joining the agency.

After his move to Manchester he joined the staff of the then Evening Chronicle – which later merged with the Manchester Evening News – as its air correspondent.

He then joined the Daily Telegraph’s reporting team in the city, but when the paper’s Manchester editorial department closed some years later, Charles stayed on to cover the airport in a freelance capacity, working for both national and regional titles.

Former Telegraph journalists have described him as “politeness personified” and “one of a kind…the archetypal gentleman.”

Former colleague Maurice Weaver said of him: “Chick was the nicest of men, and a gentleman of the old school…totally at odds with the common image of the hard-faced newsman, yet he fulfilled that role efficiently and with some style.”

His wife Gillian noted that jhHe always rose to his feet, as he had been taught as a boy, whenever a lady entered a room.

She added: “He continued this, even when he was in a care-home – to the surprise of his carers – and he was distressed when because of growing infirmity he was unable to do so.”

Charles leaves Gillian and a son, Tony, from a previous marriage. His funeral is on Wednesday, August 21 at St Andrew’s Church, Cheadle Hulme.