Veteran broadcaster Charles Abela Mizzi has died, aged 81.

Born in Valletta, Mr Abela Mizzi joined the national broadcasting station in 1962 as an announcer. He worked in both radio and television and later was appointed to read the news and became deputy head of Xandir Malta.

He was head of programmes in 1980 and after retiring from PBS, continued to work part-time in the archives section.

Both the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party saluted his memory in separate statements.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in a tweet that Abela Mizzi "was one of the founding fathers of Malta broadcasting" and that his voice would be sorely missed.