Daily Mirror racing writer and tipster Dave Mitchell dies aged 62

Dave Mitchell, who worked for the Daily Mirror as a racing writer and tipster, has died aged 62.

Mitchell, who wrote as tipster Value Scope for the Mirror, had been battling cancer for more than a year and was a popular individual within the newspaper.

He spent many years immersed within the sport, working for Weatherbys before becoming a journalist. He wrote for the Sun before joining the Daily Mirror and celebrated 20 years with the Mirror this summer.

His prowess as a tipster came to the fore in 2007, when he won the Racing Post Naps table as Pegasus when moonlighting for the News Of The World.

Paying tribute on Sunday, Mitchell's colleague Dave Yates said: "'Mitch' was a hugely popular figure at the Mirror – and beyond – and his death will be felt very sharply by all those who knew and worked with him.

"News of his illness came like a thunderbolt, but not once did Dave rail at the injustice of it all, or utter one single word of self pity – nothing but fortitude and humour in the face of the inevitable.

"Dave wasn’t frightened of expressing a forthright opinion – which not everyone agreed with! But you couldn’t find anybody with a deeper or more genuine love of horses and horseracing.

"He was especially in his element when going racing at his local tracks in the West Country, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."

Mitchell is survived by his wife Jen, son Andrew and daughter Becky.