A CHANCE encounter in 1970 grew into a friendship that became the Deep Throat source that helped bring down Richard Nixon, reporter Bob Woodward wrote in The Washington Post yesterday.

Jim Caldwell sheds some light on the man of mystery who helped bring down a president

Victoria Ward, New York

Former top FBI official Mark Felt was branded an American hero by his family after unmasking himself as the Deep Throat source who helped bring down President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal.

The Washington Post confirmed tonight that a former FBI official, Mark Felt, was the confidential source known as “Deep Throat” who provided the newspaper information that led to former President Richard Nixon’s impeachment and eventual resignation.

The family of the former top FBI official who claims he was the notorious Deep Throat source in the Watergate scandal tonight praised him as a hero and urged the United States to respect and honour his actions.

The FBI’s former number two, W Mark Felt, has claimed to have been the mystery Deep Throat source who helped bring down US president Richard Nixon.