Former lecturer who worked for rival paper is still a loyal YEP reader

Mr Harcup, 64, said he joined the now defunct Leeds Other Paper as a 19 year old reporter in the late 1970s after dropping out of a Leeds University sociology course.

He then went on to work for the Harrogate Advertiser before spending 15 years as a journalism lecturer at Sheffield University.

Mr Harcup, who is now a freelance writer, said he has been a YEP reader for decades.

"I'm a big believer in the importance of local news and alway have been," said Mr Harcup, who has been a YEP subscriber for many years.

"You don't know what you don't know. If you don't look at the news it's your own fault if you are surprised by things that are going on around you.

"There is always something in there (the YEP) that I find interesting and there is always something in there that I didn't know.

"It is the news that most interests me, but I quite like the coverage of Leeds Rhinos as well.

"I have spent so much time staring at screens for work that I really enjoy looking at a physical newspaper. It's a different experience."

Each day this week the YEP is speaking to some of its longest-serving subscribers to find out what it is that they love about the Yorkshire Evening Post

Mr Harcup, who is from Stepney, London, was a Leeds University sociology student, but dropped out aged 19 to start work as a reporter on Leeds Other Paper, which was launched in the mid 1970s and closed in 1994.

Mr Harcup said: "They were looking for readers to get involved. I quite liked writing so I went along and got involved and that got me interested in journalism."

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