THE friends, family and former colleagues of a journalist who died just days before Christmas have paid tribute to him following his inquest.

Former newspaper sub-editor Mark Long was found dead at his home in Middleton Road, Salisbury, on December 23.

Police were called by a friend who had not seen the 64-year-old for some time.

An inquest into his death at Salisbury Coroner’s Court on February 7 heard that the friend had tried to contact him but his landline was permanently engaged.

Officers attended Mr Long’s home shortly after 10pm and found his body on the sofa bed in his flat.

Senior Coroner David Ridley said Mr Long’s body had been there for some time but there was no evidence of anyone being involved in his death.

A post mortem was unable to reveal how Mr Long died.

Mr Long worked as a journalist for many years, mainly for London weekly papers. His family believes the highlight of his career was interviewing Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He later moved onto work in Oxford and Weymouth.

His cousin Cinny Cuthbert said: “Mark was a private and modest man who asked little of people but one who gave willingly.

“For the past two years Mark coped bravely with serious illness, always grateful for every kindness shown him, however small, never voicing self-pity or resentment. A true sign of his character. I know that he will be remembered with great fondness by all of us as a very kind, caring, intelligent and gentle man.”

Paying tribute, Mr Long’s former manager at the Dorset Echo Carl Blackmore added: “I had the pleasure of being Mark’s manager for a number of years, during which he became quite ill in February 2016.”

During his recovery Mr Long returned to work, and spent some time working from the Journal office, which he “enjoyed greatly and appreciated the support from the team”.

Mr Blackmore added: “He was one of the real characters of the team, positive, reliable, willing to help and sociable. We remained in regular contact, with Mark regularly reporting his progress and outings which belied his recent illness, 20-mile bikes rides not being uncommon.

“He will be sorely missed by all his family, friends and colleagues.”

Mr Long will be remembered by many for his freestyle dance performances on the streets of Salisbury, particularly in the High Street, accompanied by a ghetto blaster.

Ms Cuthbert said: “Mark loved to dance and from the 80s he often took to the dance floors around London with his close friend, Caroline, happily dancing freestyle to all kinds of music, I’m told with great enthusiasm.”

Mr Long also enjoyed walking and, while between jobs, he worked as a dog walker in the city.