A former Watford Observer journalist who went on to a career with the nationals has revealed he has terminal cancer.

Simon Ricketts announced he had been diagnosed with cancer of the stomach and pancreas in a post on his blog last week.

In the piece, the 48-year-old said he considered himself “lucky to have worked for a local newspaper I loved.”

Mr Ricketts, who now works for The Guardian, has also spent time at the Daily Mail and The Independent.

Writing on his blog, Mr Ricketts said: “I consider myself lucky. I always have.

"I think of my life as a privilege. I was born into a family who surround me with love and support me in whatever I do.

"I am wrapped in the consuming love of a beautiful, talented, hilarious, woman, who has made me the happiest I have ever been.

“I have friends so true, so clever, so talented, so committed, so funny, so uplifting to know, that I’m almost embarrassed to have been given such gifts.

“I have worked for my local newspaper that l loved, and for now I (will continue to) work for the national newspaper it was always my ambition to join. I’ve been very, very lucky.

“While this is probably a shorter time on the planet than I was hoping for, I cannot truly feel too cheated.

"I really can’t. And, hey, I’m not dead yet. I’m not giving up. I plan to extend my life, by whichever ways possible, as much as I can. Let’s see how we go.”

Describing the reaction to the post, Mr Ricketts added: "After describing my terminal cancer diagnosis I, of course, expected some reactions of sympathy and sadness.

"I expected friends to express sorrow at the news, to tell me of their shock and upset.

"But I didn’t expect, couldn’t expect, the quite staggering messages from far and wide that have swamped me with love, support and friendship.

"People I know, people I don’t know, people I respect and admire, people who I have never met, people who knew me in the past, people who have only just begun to know me."