A new content-sharing deal between two neighbouring dailies in the North East could affect editorial independence and media plurality, the National Union of Journalists has warned.

The Trinity Mirror-owned Teesside Gazette in Middlesbrough will, according to the National Union of Journalists, provide up to 20 stories a day to the Newsquest-owned Northern Echo in Darlington.

The two papers are 16 miles apart. Although they cover each other's patches editorially, there is little cross-over in terms of circulation.