Veteran BBC broadcaster Ed Doolan has died aged 76 following a battle with vascular dementia.

The BBC WM 95.6 radio station for Birmingham and the Black Country, the station for which Doolan previously worked, shared the news of his death on Twitter.

“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of our friend and broadcaster Ed Doolan,” the station tweeted.

“Our thoughts are with his wife Chrissy and his family. Rest in Peace Ed.”

Doolan’s agent and manager Paul Vaughan said: “We have lost a great champion of the people and a truly skilled and popular broadcaster and newspaper columnist.”

Mr Vaughan said that Doolan died in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday morning at home.

Doolan, who was born in Sydney, Australia, hosted a long-running consumer affairs programme on BBC WM in Birmingham.

He joined the station in 1982 after starting his broadcasting career in Germany in 1970.

During his extensive career, Doolan was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame.

Doolan, who was appointed MBE for his services to broadcasting and charity, stood down from his daily local radio show in 2011.

He was later diagnosed with vascular dementia.