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May 11, 2011

Regional Press Awards 2011: picture special

By Press Gazette

The Irish News picked up a hat-trick of awards at today’s Society of Editors Regional Press Awards.

The paper was named both regional newspaper of the year and Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year (circulation above 25,000), while reporter Allison Morris won daily/Sunday reporter of the year.

Judges described it as a ‘serious newspaper that was prepared to take a stance; a heavyweight title at the heart of one of the newsiest cities in the world”.

The category that attracted the most entries – the young journalist of the year award – went to Dan Warbuton of NCJ Media, Newcastle, for a portfolio that judges said ‘would make any national reporter proud”, including face-to-face interviews with some of Tyneside’s most notorious gangsters.

Paul Francis of the Kent Messenger – described by judges as the ‘scourge of Kent County Council’- was named weekly reporter of the year, and was praised for his ‘maturity, wit and expertise”.

Weekly newspaper of the year (above 20,000) went to the Essex Chronicle, which was described as a ‘substantial, weighty and balanced newspaper that is not afraid to dig and probe to ensure its readers are truly informed”, while the News & Star, Carlisle, was awarded daily/Sunday newspaper of the year (below 25,000). Judges said it was a ‘gritty and community newspaper founded on old-fashioned principles”.

The awards took place at a lunchtime ceremony held at the Park Plaza in London.

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Photos: Glyn Genin – Society of Editors/Regional Press Awards

The full of list of winners:

Young journalist of the year

Dan Warburton, NCJ Media

Highly commended: Ryan Crighton, The Press and Journal

Business and finance journalist of the year

Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail

Highly commended: Simon Bain, The Herald, Glasgow

Specialist writer of the year

Ciaran Barnes, Sunday Life

Feature writer of the year

Adam Wakelin, Leicester Mercury

Highly commended: Gail Walker, Belfast Telegraph

Columnist of the year

Colin Drury, The Star, Sheffield

Highly commended: John Connery, News Letter, Ulster

Weekly sports journalist of the year

David Powell, North Devon Journal

Highly commended: Jon Colman, Cumberland News

Daily/Sunday sports journalist of the year

Jon Colman, News & Star

Highly commended: John Gibson, Newcastle Evening Chronicle

Weekly photographer of the year

Chris Gleave, Manchester Evening News Weekly Group

Daily/Sunday photographer of the year

Mark McCormick, Sunday Life

Highly Commended: Matthew Horwood, Media Wales

Designer of the year

Ian Bond, Hull Daily Mail

Highly commended: Alan Formby-Jackson, Evening Gazette, Middlesbrough

Digital innovation of the year

Manchester Evening News, Police 24

Highly commended: NCJ Media, The Hunt for Raoul Moat

Special supplement of the year

Farewell To The Ark, The News, Portsmouth

Supplement of the year

Banter, Bristol Evening Post

Weekly reporter of the year

Paul Francis, Kent Messenger

Highly Commended: Lui Straccia, Luton and Dunstable Express

Daily/Sunday reporter of the year

Allison Morris, The Irish News

Highly commended: Ben Kendall, Eastern Daily Press

Front page of the year

Help Us Grow, Bristol Evening Post

Scoop of the year

Jeanette Oldham, Sunday Mercury

Highly commended: Lui Straccia, Luton and Dunstable Express

Campaign of the year

End the Indignity, Norwich Evening News

Highly commended: You Saved Tea Bar, Greenock Telegraph; Jet Set NHS, The Irish News

Weekly newspaper of the year (below 20,000)

Derry News

Highly commended: Ham & High

Weekly newspaper of the year (above 20,000)

Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year (below 25,000)

News & Star, Carlisle

Daily/Sunday newspaper of the year (above 25,000)

The Irish News

Highly commended: Yorkshire Post

Regional newspaper of the year

The Irish News

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