A poet who revived public interest in Second World War poems has died, aged 88.

Victor Selwyn, who lived in Saltdean, was one of three founding members of the Salamander Oasis Trust, which was responsible for collating more than 20,000 poems and diary items.

They have now been deposited in the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, South London, so generations can have access to the writings written by those under the stress of war.

To bring the poems to the notice of the nation, Mr Selwyn used his many contacts to get showbusiness personalties and leading politicians to read and record the writings.

They included Phil Collins, the late Spike Milligan, Barry Humphries, actor Martin Jarvis, Lord Healey and the late Lord Carver.

He first got involved in Second Word War Poetry in 1943 along with fellow writers Denis Saunders and David Buck. They came up with the idea of putting together poetry written during the Middle East War.

The Salamander Oasis Trust was set up after the War and launched a worldwide appeal for the writings. This led to the 20,000 items being submitted.

Mr Selwyn's role in providing a lasting record of those who fought and were involved in the Second World War, saw him awarded the MBE in 1996.

He was an intellectual who had a career in the retail trade, journalism and market research, before devoting the latter years of his life to the poetry.

Born in Battersea, South London, to parents who had emigrated from Lithuania, Mr Selwyn, was one of five children, all of whom went on to pursue academic careers.

During the Second World War he was a navigation officer with the Surrey Regiment and his experience in navigation later led him to write a book entitled Plan Your Route, A New Approach to Map Reading.

His writings led to a career in journalism and he wrote for the Sunday Pictorial, which became the Sunday Mirror, Daily Telegraph and The Times, covering a wide range of subjects, including football, finance and medicine, as a freelance.

He first moved to Hove in 1955 and then to Lenham Avenue, Saltdean, in 1960. He married his wife Irene in 1947. They have two children, Trixie and Louise, and two grandchildren, Natasha and Gabrielle.

His funeral service will be held at Woodvale Crematorium, Lewes Road, Brighton, tomorrow at 3.15pm.

A memorial poetry reading in Mr Selwyn's honour is being arranged for a later date.