Colleagues have paid tribute to former Evening Argus photographer Phil Wigglesworth, who died yesterday.

Phil, 62, joined the Argus in 1983 from the Worthing Herald where he had been taking pictures since the early Fifties, apart from a break of two years for his National Service with the RAF.

His death was described as "a sad loss for journalism" by Worthing Mayor Brian McLuskie, who worked with Phil when he was in the advertising department of the Herald.

Coun McLuskie said: "I am very sad and his death is a sad loss for Worthing and for journalism.

"Whenever Phil arrived for a photo-call he was punctual and very professional.

"He always went out of his way to help people and he was a very likeable person."

Phil joined the Argus when it launched a new West Sussex edition and his knowledge and love of the Worthing area quickly helped make it a major success. His patch covered a vast area of the county, including Chichester, Bognor, Littlehampton and Lancing.

Away from work, Phil spent most of his time with his son and daughter.

At weekends he would often take them with him on assignments.

He told colleagues how he enjoyed mountain biking on the Downs and messing about in a small boat he kept.

Phil left the Argus in January 1999 to fight cancer. He died at Worthing Hospital.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.