AWARD-winning journalist David Swallow, who worked for the Telegraph & Argus for 32 years until his retirement in 1993, has died aged 81 at his home in Pool-in-Wharfedale.

Educated at Wesley Street School and later Bradford Grammar School, David slipped easily between the world of news and sport, and was a deputy news editor (for nine years), industrial correspondent and later business editor (a post from which he retired in 1993), horse racing correspondent and Yorkshire County Cricket Club correspondent (for nine years) – the first on the paper to have that title.

The Pudsey man won his cricket colours at Bradford Grammar School, playing for the first team for two years with skills that were honed on Farsley Recreation Ground, and represented Farsley in the Bradford League.

He was a member of Farsley's third team that won the Bradford Junior League Trophy in 1948, a side that also included former England skipper Ray Illingworth and Bradford League legend Mike Fearnley.

A slow left-arm bowler, David took a wicket with his first ball in a Bradford League match.

After joining the Telegraph & Argus in 1961, having worked on the Pudsey News, he temporarily covered Yorkshire's fortunes in 1964 for the Telegraph & Argus and Yorkshire Sports ('The Pink', Saturday afternoon sports edition), when C R 'Dick' Williamson was in hospital recovering from an operation, and took over that role full-time from 1966-74.

David covered Yorkshire's great side of the 1960s, and they won the County Championship in 1966, 1967 and 1968. 

In 1983, under the guise of Petergate, David (who was known in the office as Petergreat) was the top evening paper horse racing tipster in the country, finishing the Sporting Chronicle National Hunt naps table with a profit of £22.83½ to a £1 stake, including tipping Welsh Grand National winner Corbiere at 11-1.

The following month, David, showing his versatility, was among the runners-up in a property journalist of the year competition run by no less than the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, and he replaced Chris Holland as industrial correspondent in 1984.

In 1991 he won the Bradford & Bingley Building Society personal finance regional journalist of the year award.

David, who worshipped at St Oswald's in Leathley, near Otley, leaves two daughters and four grandchildren.