The millionaire founder of Britain's leading black newspaper has died aged 58.

Val McCalla started the weekly paper, The Voice, from a small east London council flat 20 years ago.

The newspaper's quick success made Jamaican-born Mr McCalla's fortune and enabled him to move to a home in Seaford.

The Daily Mail dubbed Mr McCalla "the man responsible for the Brixton riots" after his paper criticised racist policing methods in south London.

But The Voice became hugely popular with Britain's black community for its campaigns against racism.

From initial sales of 4,000, The Voice's circulation grew to 53,000 copies a week within eight years.

Mr McCalla, a horse racing enthusiast, arrived in England aged 15 in May 1959, with ambitions of becoming a pilot.

He joined the RAF but suffered a perforated eardrum and spent five years doing book-keeping in the supplies section.

After leaving the RAF in the mid-Sixties he worked on a radical community newsletter, East End News.

The experience gave him the newspaper bug and inspired him to launch The Voice with start-up money from Ken Livingstone's Greater London Council.

Mr McCalla died early last Thursday evening. He leaves a wife, Linda, and their two daughters, 14-year-old Laura and 11-year-old Natalie.

He also leaves two sons, Michael and David, from his first marriage and one surviving sister.

Mrs McCalla, human resources director at The Voice, was at his side when he died after suddenly being taken ill.

A post-mortem examination found he had had an oesophageal haemorrhage.

She said: "My husband died suddenly and we are all absolutely distraught at the loss of such a great man. He was a loving father and husband and will be sadly missed."

Mr McCalla's funeral will be held tomorrow at St Leonard's Parish Church in Seaford.

The family has asked for any flowers to be sent to Cooper and Son Funeral Directors, 19 Clinton Place, Seaford, BN25 1NP.