Sports journalist Ian Wooldridge has died in hospital aged 75, the Daily Mail has announced.
Wooldridge, regarded as one of the greatest sportswriters of his generation, died peacefully after a long battle with cancer.
He first made his name as a cricket correspondent and he went on to cover a every major sporting event - including 10 Olympic Games - for the Daily Mail, where he worked for nearly half a century.
His long and distinguished career saw him fly upside-down with the Red Arrows air display team, hurtle down the Cresta Run at St Moritz and take part in the famous Pamplona Bull Run.
His enthusiasm and lightness of touch gained him a worldwide following and a string of awards. He was twice named newspaper columnist of the year, five times sportswriter of the year and four times sports feature writer of the year.
He also won two awards for his lifetime contribution to sports journalism and he was one of the first to be inducted to the newspaper Hall of Fame.
Wooldridge, a committed royalist and reportedly a great friend of the Princess Royal, was awarded the OBE for his services to journalism. He leaves a widow, Sarah, and three sons.
