Mike Ahearn RIP

Former Radio Caroline presenter Mike Ahern has died at the age of 67.

Mike, who only last week celebrated his birthday, was also well known for his work on Radio 1 and Capital Gold. Most recently, at Easter this year, he was heard on Pirate BBC Essex.

A posting on Facebook's Pirate BBC Essex page says: "Mike had been ill for some time, spending the last few months in and out of the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. A few weeks ago, Mike had a lung removed, after being  diagnosed with lung cancer. It also transpired that he had a brain tumour as well, which was going to be operated on. Sadly, Mike died before this could  happen."

Born in Liverpool, he was a barman and a clerk before getting his big break on Radio Caroline, at first joining the station's North ship off the Isle Of Man. He moved to Caroline's South ship in 1965 to help aid the network's  flagging figures.

He departed Caroline in 1967 for Radio One, though it was a short lived  affair with Ahern departing for Australia to work for a slew of stations there including 4BC and 6PM.

He returned to the UK in 1988 and worked for Essex Radio, Piccadilly Radio and Country-1035 among others.

There is a four minute video of Mike being interviewed on Pirate BBC Essex this year, and also a tribute that Tony Blackburn has recorded at http://radiotoday.co.uk/
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Source: Radio Today

Our thanks to Mike Terry for spotting this item