Linda was the face of local newspapers

Linda Bloomfield was the kind of journalist who knew everyone and was the first port of call for many of those wishing to get their story in Leader Times Newspapers.

Her women’s page was a must-read round-up of everything that was going on in and around the borough.

And Linda’s feature writing was both entertaining and informative.

Originally from Manchester Linda Hardman, as she was until her marriage in 1982, got her first taste of newspaper life as a secretary on The Sun in London.

She took up a similar role at the Daily Mirror in Manchester and that whetted her appetite for the life of a news reporter.

Succesfully applying for a job at Leader Times Newspapers in the late 1960s she moved to the Chapel House Road area of Nelson and started work, initially at the office in Manchester Road, Nelson, and later in the new office in Scotland Road.

An intergral part of a bustling news team until the birth of her son, Alex, in the mid-1980s, Linda built up a formidable reputation locally for getting the job done and getting it done properly.

Following the birth of her sonshe worked for a while with her husband, John, in the family haulage business and the family made their home in Brierfield.

After her husband’s sudden death, the business was wound-up and she spent several years running a jewellery stall on Burnley market before returning to the world of newspapers in 2000 for another 10 years of local news reporting before retiring to spend more time with the rescue dogs and cats which she loved so much.

She played an active role in the life of Brierfield Methodist Church and was also actively involved with Bleak Holt Animal Sanctuary and both dog and cat rescue charities.

Linda had suffered with COPD for around three months before her death last week at the age of 74.

Her funeral service takes place on Friday, May 12th, at 12-15pm at Brierfield Methodist Church followed by cremation at Accrington Crematorium at 1-40pm.