TRIBUTES have flooded in to well-known media figure and founder of Radio City, Terry Smith, who has died aged 87.

Terry, who lived in Hoylake with Pamela, his wife of 37 years and had two sons and a stepdaughter, passed away at Arrowe Park Hospital in Birkenhead in the early hours of Sunday, August 15.

A former journalist with Granada TV and the Sunday Express, Terry moved to Liverpool in the early 1960s where he founded the Mercury Press Agency.

In 1973, he formed the group which won the franchise for Liverpool’s first commercial radio station, Radio City, and under his stewardship the station would go on to win numerous awards and become one of the country's most popular local stations.

Terry's was the first voice head on the network when he announced: "It's two minutes to six on Monday October 21st 1974. For the very first time, this is 194 Radio City broadcasting to Merseyside".

He would go on to serve the station for 17 years as managing director and when the station was sold to the EMAP group he was appointed chairman and also became chairman of EMAP’s radio division before eventually retiring in 2013.

A lifelong Liverpool FC supporter, Terry would join the board at Anfield following Bob Paisley’s retirement as club director in 1992 and continued in his role until the sale of the club to Tom Hicks and George Gillett in 2007.

A statement from Liverpool FC said: "Liverpool FC is deeply saddened by the passing of former director Terry Smith, aged 87.

"Terry, who became a board member at Liverpool in 1992, passed away on Sunday following a short illness.

"Terry was a lifelong Liverpool supporter and succeeded Bob Paisley as a director at Anfield. He served on the club’s board for 15 years.

"A former journalist, Terry founded Radio City as Liverpool’s first commercial radio station in 1974 and retired from the station in 2013. "He then became chairman of the Empire Theatre Trust in 2015.

"The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool FC are with Terry’s family and friends at this sad time.

"Rest in peace, Terry Smith."

A spokesperson for Liverpool Press Club said: “Terry has been immersed in the city and the media for a lifetime.

“As principal of Mercury Press Agency and later founder of Radio City, he nurtured scores of talented reporters, sports writers and photographers who have become huge names across the media landscape.

“He has left an indelible legacy.”