His death came just days before he was due to retire as an executive director of the newspaper group at the end of 2002. During his 43-year career he also spent time at Guardian Newspapers, controlling the planning and commissioning of its move to West Ferry.

In 1991 he moved to HunterPrint, but left five years later after its takeover by Quebecor.

Dalton also launched printing sites in Australia and South Africa when he was a non-executive director of Lloyds of London Press and Lloyds of London List.

After joining Kent Messenger Group in 1998, he convinced the board to invest in added colour capacity for its 10-year-old Goss Visa press, helping it to secure contract printing work with Metro, The Guardian and The Business.

As a result the groups printing volumes rose from 1m copies a week in 1998 to its current 4m-plus.

Goss senior vice president and general manager Shane Lancaster said he would miss Daltons leadership and friendship, while Duncan Gray, associate director (production) at Kent Messenger Group, said Dalton had been a wonderful boss and a great friend.

Gray will be in charge of the groups printing following Daltons death.

Daltons funeral will take place on Friday 3 January at Peterborough Crematorium in Marham.

Donations can be made to Cancer Research. He leaves a wife, Wilma.