A former local radio station news editor has launched an independent news title for Bedford, with plans for a website to go live later this year, saying towns like it are “not getting good local coverage like they used to”.

Bedford Independent co-founder Paul Hutchinson said the new title will be the “modern news desk that would give the people of Bedford easy access to genuine news”.

Hutchinson – who worked at Bedfordshire-based local radio station Chiltern FM, is one of three co-owners of the Independent, which has begun publishing news items on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.