Ducking under a rope at the age of eight to ask the Queen the time led to Mike Kernan’s photograph appearing in the Daily Record and his interest in journalism.

This was the introduction Mike gave to his extremely interesting talk on journalism at a recent meeting of Largs Probus Club.

He spoke about his lengthy career in journalism, starting as a reporter with the Renfrew Press and various magazines. He praised local papers which he said everyone should cherish and support as they give people a voice.

Mike was the first editor of Oracle, which was cutting edge in the day, giving live updates as stories progressed. He also influenced the introduction of TVs in shop windows so that people could see live football scores. Mike became a freelance sub-editor in 1990 which involved putting stories together, determining where they would go in a paper and doing a cut and fit job as appropriate, but his spiritual home was The Sun, where he was the chief sub-editor, deputy editor then executive editor in his 30-year career.

He spoke about covering major events such as Dunblane, death of Diana Princess of Wales, 9/11 and the Cluthar story.

Mike has written two novels, The Fenian and Stopping for Rain, and a book on his second love, fishing, called Fishing in the Sun.

Looking ahead, the club will next meet on September 20 in the Willowbank Hotel at 10am when Gordon Black will speak on Hydro Power.

Men over the age of 50 who are retired, or nearing retirement, are welcome to join the club by completing the contact form on largsprobus.org.uk.