There's Someone in Reception

"A merry romp through the often bizarre world of local journalism."

"Rare to find a book packed with so many funny stories."

"Really good fun, but also a touching tribute to local journalism."

"This book perfectly taps into why local newspapers matter... and what we stand to lose if they disappear."

"There's a man in reception with a massive slug. Can you come down and interview him?"

Welcome to the life of a local journalist, and the curious tradition of the "walk-in" - when a member of the public turns up with a tale to tell. The newsworthiness of these stories is... well... mixed, to say the least. But every journalist remembers their weirdest and most wonderful walk-ins.

From stories that made international headlines and exposed major crime networks, to readers who walked in with a hand grenade and a bag of dead bats, There's Someone In Reception explores the good, the bad and the downright bizarre of working in local news.

Based on interviews with generations of journalists - with stories from the 1950s to the 2020s - it covers the glory days, the disastrous decline of local papers and the signs of hope now emerging in many places.

Alex Morrison spent a decade in journalism, as a reporter then editor for several local newspapers, before covering national news for the BBC.