The Hull Daily Mail has scooped its rivals for a second successive year to be named Yorkshire Daily Newspaper of the Year.

The Northcliffe title picked up the prestigious award during a ceremony at the Cedar Court Hotel in Wakefield last night, pipping fellow nominee the Yorkshire Evening Post to the top prize again.

Judges said the decision had gone to a “photo-finish”, with the Mail’s “campaigning journalism dressed to thrill in exciting tabloid double-page spreads” winning through.

They added: “Compelling looks and compulsive reading keeps the Mail fresh day after day and confirms the claim to be one of the country’s top regional newspapers.”

Mail journalists Rick Lyon and Nicola Harley were also crowned winners, being named News Reporter of the Year (Daily Newspapers) and Community Reporter of the Year respectively.

Rick, who picked up the same award last year, was praised for his portfolio which ranged from exclusive interviews with Humberside’s defiant chief constable David Westwood to the chilling tale of a barbaric knife attack on a businessman, as judges said that even among a number of outstanding entries Rick had shone out.

The Yorkshire Post also picked up three top prizes, as photographer Simon Hulme, columnist Anila Baig and business writer Greg Wright all won through in their individual categories.

And there were celebrations too for the Wakefield Express, as it was crowned Yorkshire Weekly Newspaper of the Year for its “rich community-focused mix”.

Its journalists Arlene Lawler and Lisa Rookes also impressed the judges, as they scooped prizes for News Reporter of the Year (Weekly) and Feature Writer of the Year (Weekly).

Other winners included the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Anne Pickles, who was named Feature Writer of the Year (Daily) and the overall Yorkshire Journalist of the Year, and Lisa Cook from the York Evening Press, who was chosen as the Graphic Designer of the Year for a record sixth time.

For a full list of winners, click here.

Master of ceremonies was David Edmondson, managing director of Wilfred Edmunds, which publishes the Derbyshire Times, and the awards were handed out by Rob Salmon, corporate affairs director of Yorkshire Water, which sponsors the event.

Twelve individual winners each received £150, a glass trophy and a certificate. Runners-up got £50 each and a certificate. The Yorkshire Journalist of the Year got a further £500 cash, an engraved rose bowl and a certificate. Yorkshire Newspaper of the Year (daily and weekly) each received an engraved rose bowl.

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