George Michael Dobson, a retired journalist who spent much of his career overseas, has died in Barrow at the age of 90.

Known to his friends as ‘Mike,’ he passed away peacefully at St George’s Nursing Home on July 8 due to respiratory problems linked to COVID-19.

Mike lived a well-travelled life and after being educated in Hull, he moved to the south of England to embark on a career in magazines and newspapers, the industry where he would spend the whole of his working life.

Early in his time as a journalist, he worked for the Bucks Free Press in High Wycombe he had the honour of interviewing comedic trio ‘The Goons.’

He described Spike Milligan as ‘quite mad,’ Harry Secombe ‘friendly and welcoming’ and Peter Sellars ‘distant.’

Later on, Mike moved down to South Africa, where he had previously been posted during his National Service with the Royal Air Force.

During his time abroad, he was chief sub editor with the Amalgamated Press group based in Benoni before finishing his career with the leading English language newspaper The Star in Johannesburg.

Away from work, Mike was a passionate classical music lover.

In his earlier life he was a keen Hi-Fi enthusiast, with n extensive sound system and vast record collection built up over many years.

Known as being very kind to his family, Mike had lived in Barrow for the past decade, coming to the hometown of his wife Daphne (formerly Hindmarch, nee Dickinson), the daughter of the former Millom printer John Dickinson.

They lived in retirement housing at Ramsey Park and then Seymour Court, but they mainly socialised with their family.

Mike leaves behind Daphne and her two sons John (a former reporter with The Mail) and Peter.

His funeral will take place at Thorncliffe Crematorium at 1pm on July 17, with the number who are allowed to attend sadly limited due to ongoing coronavirus measures.