Ex-deputy editor of Weekly News George Swan dies aged 78

George Swan, a former deputy editor of the Weekly News, has died at the age of 78.

Originally from Glasgow, he joined the fiction department of DC Thomson & Co Ltd in 1961 and later transferred to the Weekly News. He was first a sub-editor and then chief sub-editor before being appointed to the deputy editorship.

At the time the paper had a circulation of more than a million and Mr Swan was held in high regard by his colleagues for the professionalism of his work.

He had attended Whitehill Secondary School in Glasgow and one of his fellow pupils was the renowned author Alasdair Gray. The two became lifelong friends and Mr Gray visited Mr Swan at his home in Monifieth.

The author actually based a character in his novel Lanark on Mr Swan, whom he depicted as a young man who went to work for publishers in Dundee.

Mr Swan trained as a draughtsman with an engineering company in Glasgow. It was there that he met his wife Rose. His love of writing saw him submit material to DC Thomson as a freelance contributor and his efforts led to a post with the firm.

Mr Swan is survived by his daughter Lesley, son Christopher and four grandchildren.