Last week a legend of local journalism announced that, after 30 years in the profession, he was leaving.

For three decades Lee Trewhela, of the West Briton and more recently Cornwall Live, has covered the good, the bad and the ugly of Cornwall’s community news in his own inimitable style, and while officially the two newspapers may be 'rivals', outside of the newsroom there is a mutual respect and appreciation between journalists.

While his loss to the industry is sad, what is sadder still is one of the reasons he gave for his decision – the systematic online abuse of journalists, almost on a daily basis.

Announcing his decision on Twitter, Lee wrote: "One of the reasons I'm going is down to the amount of abuse you have to face as a reporter these days.

"Remember, if you're bashing Cornwall Live or any other media organisation, there are humans at the end of it."

Regrettably it is something every journalist can appreciate and understand.

In the past week alone Packet journalists have been told they are 'a clown', should resign and 'should be ashamed' – in all instances simply for reporting on matters other people have to come to us for help with, and for quoting that person.

Imagine if someone walked into your house – and remember that this is where all journalists work from now, for at least part of the week – pointed their finger in your face and started shouting at you 'You should be ashamed!'

Arguably you'd think about calling the police.

But because it is on a computer screen it's deemed acceptable and journalists are seen as 'fair game', just like MPs (who, let's remember, are also just human beings with feelings and families at the end of the day).

#bekind is quoted so much these days it almost loses its meaning, but for those who consider the above behaviour acceptable let me ask one question: Would you be happy if someone did this to you, and if not why are you doing it to someone else?