Leicester Mercury acting editor Richard Bettsworth has been appointed full-time editor of the paper.

Bettsworth took over the reins after Keith Perch’s sudden departure in October. He began his career in 1990 as a trainee reporter at Portsmouth’s The News, where he eventually rose to deputy news editor before joining the Leicester Mercury in 2000.

Bettsworth, who was appointed deputy editor in 2005, said: ‘It is an honour to edit a newspaper which is held in such high regard and a privilege to lead a team of journalists which contains so many talented individuals.