Legendary Shropshire Star columnist Peter Rhodes has died

He was one of this newspaper's most popular writers for more than 40 years, along with its sister paper the Express & Star, and his column was part of the daily routine for thousands of readers.

Peter, 74, revealed in December that he was suffering from advanced cancer.

He had been writing his daily column up until he fell ill last autumn and his illness sparked a wave of goodwill messages from readers.

Peter's time with the Shropshire Star and Express & Star took him to the Arctic Circle, the Falkland Islands, the last days of British Hong Kong and South Africa as apartheid started to crumble. He travelled to war-torn Sarajevo, took veterans back to the beaches of Normandy and spent a week touring the West Midlands in a narrowboat.

He celebrated his four decades with the paper in August last year, just as it was revealed from a prostate test that he was suffering from cancer in the kidney.

Peter retired from his 'day job' as the newspaper's chief feature writer in 2012, but continued to write his popular weekday column for both the Shropshire Star and Express & Star until October last year.  

In a message to readers after his diagnosis, he said: "I wanted to thank all the thousands of readers who have read my columns over the years and hopefully enjoyed them."

Peter began his career as a trainee reporter on the Leamington Spa Courier in 1969, then joined the Express & Star in response to an advert for a 'top writer'. 

He describes it as the "best of moves" and formed a strong bond with readers both through his features and his daily column.

He was a fierce advocate for the region and also championed veterans, travelling with them to Normandy for Second World War anniversaries. 

He said: "The Star sent me around the world to see places I'd never dreamed of and to meet people I would never otherwise have encountered." 

"I was proud to get the job all those years ago, proud to represent the newspaper known as 'the Bible of the Black Country'. And especially proud, on assignments all over this wide and wicked world, to introduce myself: 'Peter Rhodes of the Star'."

Mark Drew, an editor at the Shropshire  Star who had worked with Peter for more than 20 years, said: "I said on Peter's retirement that he was the best wordsmith I have ever worked with. He had a remarkable knack of connecting with people and was also a very generous mentor to many of his colleagues. 

"His columns were always a treat to read through. They always struck the right chord, were incredibly witty but also often profound and powerful. He will be much missed and our thoughts are with his family."

Tom Graham, Chairman of Claverley Group, former owner of the Shropshire Star, added: "Peter was a giant of the regional media world, and his wit and wisdom cemented his position as a household name in the Black Country. His close relationship with his readers was extraordinary, indeed he became so embedded in their lives that many who had never met him regarded him as a close friend and guiding presence.

"More recently, he dealt with his terminal diagnosis with extraordinary positivity and pragmatism, so typical of Peter. We will all miss him hugely.’