TRIBUTES have been paid to an "inspiring" businessman and former newspaper chief.

David Faulkner passed away on Tuesday morning after a sudden illness.

David spent 40 years in regional publishing including eight as managing director of NWN Media, former owners of the County Times, before NWN Media was bought by Newsquest this time last year.

He left the company in November 2017.

A prominent figure in Chester, he was also president of Chester Business Club.

Paying tribute to him, Bob Clough-Parker, the club's secretary, said: "He was an inspiring, charismatic character with a gift for leadership who did so much for not only the Club but for the local business community as a whole.

"Not least, he demonstrated great loyalty and was blessed with a knack of making friends, having fun and not taking himself too seriously.

"He will be sorely missed by all who knew him."

David initially entered the newspaper world as a management trainee for the Thomson Newspapers group, then the largest publisher of regional newspapers in the country.

Over the years he worked across the UK overseeing a number of large publishing operations.

He was for several years managing director of the Chester Chronicle group of titles owned by Trinity Mirror, now known as Reach PLC.

He then worked for Trinity in the Midlands before returning to Chester to become MD of NWN Media Ltd in 2008.

David also served on a number of bodies working towards an economically successful city and region, including: Chester City Centre Management, Chester Business Leadership Forum, a board member of CEWTEC and a director of Ellesmere Port Enterprise Agency.