Tributes paid to ‘brilliant’ Corby reporter Helen O'Neill who has died aged 71

Loved and respected Corby journalist Helen O’Neill, who reported on her home town for more than 40 years, has died from cancer. She was 71.

Helen first joined the newspaper company which at that time published the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph, Advertiser and Corby Leader at its Elizabeth Street offices in 1971 and was the last journalist to leave those same offices when they closed in 2014.

Her retirement was noted in the House of Commons at the time by the then Corby MP Andy Sawford, who, addressing Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, said: “After a remarkable 43-year career as a reporter at the Corby Telegraph, Helen O’Neill retires next week.

“Will the Minister join me in sending congratulations to her and in saying that she shows the very best that local journalism and newspapers can be, and how much they can contribute to our communities?”

Mr Vaizey replied: “I think that Helen O’Neill’s 43-year career in journalism is a testament to the fantastic contribution that local newspapers make to our democracy.”

In three spells with the Evening Telegraph, its original sister papers and the current Northamptonshire Telegraph, she chronicled the life of her home town in five different decades, earning the respect of the town’s leading citizens and its ordinary people for her thorough and dedicated journalism.

Though she rose through the ranks from trainee reporter to editorial management in the company, it was as a Corby reporter she was always happiest and so it was fitting, as well as being her first job, it was her last job.

Helen Baxter was born in Wellingborough in 1951, the daughter of Katie and Tommy, and grew up in Corby attending Beanfield primary and secondary schools, and Kingswood Grammar School.

Having trained with the Evening Telegraph’s newspapers she had a spell with the rival Herald & Post free newspaper before returning to the Corby Evening Telegraph and its Elizabeth Street office as deputy news editor in the later 1980s.

She took over as news editor and held that role until the mid-1990s when she was called to the paper’s Kettering head office to become its chief news editor. She went on to work on the paper’s sub-editors’ desk before retiring in 2010.

But typically restless and missing journalism, she returned to the Corby Telegraph office for a third time soon after, in her most fulfilling role as a reporter and finished her career covering all that happened in her home town.

In an eventful career she covered most major and minor events which happened in Corby and led the teams of reporters who covered the town.

In 1986 she beat all the national newspapers in the coverage of the shocking murder of local schoolgirl Collette Gallagher, through winning the confidence of those most involved in the case.

Also during that period she was at the heart of the coverage of the controversial regime which ran Corby Council at the time and the dramatic reduction of Corby Steelworks. In 1990, together with longtime colleague and friend Amanda Davidson, she won awards for her coverage of the tenth anniversary of the end of steelmaking at Corby Works in a commemorative ET supplement.

Former colleague Tor Clark, who worked alongside her from 1989 to 1994, before becoming editor of the Harborough Mail and then the Stamford Mercury, said: “Over her time reporting Corby Helen got to know everyone who was anyone in the town. She was respected and trusted by the subjects of her stories and those who read them.

“She played a huge part in the development of the careers of scores of young journalists who went on to work at the highest levels of journalism all over the UK and abroad, none of whom ever forgot the excellent journalistic standards she had drummed into them.

“Though she insisted on the highest standards of journalism and demanded hard work from her fellow journalists, she was also the most kind, caring and entertaining colleague anyone had ever worked with, always modest and self-deprecating, but always a fearsomely excellent journalist.

“She was small of stature, but with a huge heart, who was genuinely loved and respected by all who worked closely with her.”

Corby reporter Kate Cronin, who worked with Helen during her final years at the Northants Telegraph, said: “Working with Helen was a privilege. She had encyclopaedic knowledge of Corby and she told me stories about its history that I still call on today.

"She had such talent, and cared so fiercely about ensuring that light was shone into the darkest corners of her home town.

“Helen had a real talent for putting things in perspective and in a job that can sometimes be emotionally challenging, she always found humour. Most days we laughed until we cried.

"We will miss her so much.”

Journalist Graham Tebutt, who also worked with Helen throughout his career, said: “It is such sad news.

"I worked with her when she was on the newsdesk at the old Kettering & Corby Post, then alongside her again when she went to the then Evening Telegraph.

"She was a brilliant, funny, terrier of a reporter and later, as news editor, she was a fabulous mentor to many young journalists.”

Helen married Louis O’Neill and the couple had a son, Thomas, in 1981. After retiring from journalism she enjoyed spending time with her son, grandson, friends and family, but for the last two years she had suffered from cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile duct.

Helen died at her home in Corby on Saturday (July 1) surrounded by her family. She leaves her beloved son Thomas and grandson Ruben, brother Tommy and their families.

Her funeral will be held at the Edgar Newman Chapel at Kettering Crematorium at 10am on Thursday July 13, followed by a memorial reception at Corby Grampian Club.

There will be family flowers only at the funeral but her family have requested any donations in her memory to the cholangiocarcinoma charity AMMF.