Joseph Haigh

He regarded his job as a news vendor as the best in the world and was something of a city institution selling the Yorkshire Evening Post, sister newspaper of the Yorkshire Post, from his regular spot outside what was Lewis's store, later Allders, on The Headrow.

He was born in Middleton, Leeds, two years before the Titanic set sail on its ill-fated maiden voyage and began selling newspapers in 1924 when he was 14.

When he retired in October, 1988, to live in Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, he said: "I get to meet people from all walks of life and it's a great feeling to think that you're keeping them informed."

A year later he was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours' List for services to the newspaper industry.

Over the years he sold hundreds of thousands of newspapers, with his record being 12,000 copies in one day when United States President John F Kennedy was assassinated in November, 1963.

He was such a fixture outside the store that in 1997 Allders put up a plastic booth on his pitch to keep him warm

Mr Haigh, who was then 87, said: "It can be quite nippy out here, but I am looking forward to keeping a little more warm. I'm sure my fellow news-sellers may be a little jealous but I am getting on now. I need to keep warm."

Allders then store director, Ken Baldwin, said he stood there so long they thought it was time he had his own booth.