STORIES BEHIND THE HEADLINES
by COLIN WALKEY
The first reporter to race to Britain’s worst hotel fire. The dramatic trial of a priest-turned-IRA commander. Two murders in one day. These were just some of the stories Colin Walkey covered as an evening newspaper reporter in Cambridge and Coventry.
In “Stories Behind the Headlines” Colin Walkey tells how reporters discovered stories, and some that never got published. Later, working in PR at Austin Rover, he reveals what really happened behind front page headlines about strikes at Longbridge, and the failed takeover of Austin Rover by Ford.
As PR chief at Land Rover for a decade, he tells untold stories behind the takeovers of Land Rover by British Aerospace and BMW; and the international Press launches of the Land Rover Discovery, and new Range Rover in 1994.
Walkey discloses how he created a Land Rover adventure for journalists to follow the trail of Hannibal and his elephants over the Alps more than 2,000 years ago. And an arduous expedition to part of the world that no living person had ever explored….
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Priced at £9.95 plus £2.55 P & P
As advertised in Land Rover Monthly November 2025
PRESS REVIEWS
If you want to know about the desert funeral, providing Jeremy Clarkson with a Range Rover for his Top Gear screen test, how tee-total
Sun journalist Charlie Rae was presented with a £2,000 bar bill while
covering the TUC, and a multitude of other fascinating anecdotes then you
really should buy the book.
FRED BROMWICH, VICE CHAIRMAN, BIRMINGHAM PRESS CLUB
A former journalist who lives in Warwick has told the stories behind murders, strikes and car launches in his new book.
Two murders in one day, Britain’s worst hotel fire, and the dramatic trial of a priest-turned IRA commander, are just some of the stories covered by former journalist Colin Walkey 50 years ago.
In ‘Stories Behind the Headlines’, which is being published this week, the Warwick-based author tells how reporters found stories, and recalls many that were never published.
“These stories from colleagues in the 1960s and 1970s were always more interesting and amusing than those that made the headlines,” said Colin, who worked on the Cambridge Evening News and Coventry Evening Telegraph.
“This was before computers, mobile phones, and social media. A time when reporters were encouraged to visit pubs to find stories – and claim expenses for their drinks without providing receipts.
"It was also a period when regional evening newspapers were sold to every household in their circulation areas.”
When Colin moved into public relations with Austin Rover he was heavily involved in strikes at Longbridge and other factories. These events routinely made the front pages of national newspapers.
“Again the stories behind the strikes, which were never published, were much more interesting,” said Colin, who also played a key role in the battle to prevent Ford from taking over Austin Rover.
Colin was promoted to the board of Land Rover Group in 1987, and, over the next decade, he was part of a management team that doubled Land Rover’s sales around the world.
He was responsible for the worldwide press launches of the Land Rover Discovery in1989, and the new Range Rover in 1994.
His book reveals the background to the takeovers by British Aerospace and BMW. And he tells how he created a Land Rover adventure for journalists to follow the trail of a momentous trek that Hannibal (and his elephants) made across the Alps 2,000 years ago.
Later, he also organised an arduous expedition to a remote part of the world that no living human being had visited.
KIRSTIE SMITH, LEAMINGTON AND WARWICK COURIER
"Compelling reading for anyone who worked in the motor industry in the eighties and nineties. Brought back a whole heap of memories, both happy and sad, around the rise of Land Rover from cottage industry to golden goose, the legendary press launches and the tragic demise of Rover. Grab a coffee and enjoy!"
SIMON, NORFOLK
BIO
Colin Walkey is a seasoned journalist with a remarkable career that spans the dynamic decades of the 1960s and 1970s working for the Cambridge Evening News and the Coventry Evening Telegraph. His compelling storytelling and unparalleled experiences in journalism and public relations for Austin Rover and Land Rover have shaped his journey, leading to the publication of 'Stories Behind the headlines'.
Explore the extraordinary life of Colin Walkey, delve into the riveting stories that define his legacy, and uncover the untold adventures that have left an indelible mark on the world of journalism. Join us in celebrating the remarkable journey of a visionary storyteller.
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