Bolton News editor Steve Hughes is to leave the paper to become managing director of Newsquest (York) Ltd.

The 51-year-old will begin his new role on October 22, with responsibility for The Press, York Advertiser, York Star Series and the Gazette and Herald.

For the past six years he has been editor-in-chief at Newsquest’s Bolton titles, which include weekly papers in Bolton, Bury and Leigh as well as the daily Bolton News.

During his time there he has overseen the daily paper’s switch to overnight production, which saw the Bolton News drop the ‘Evening’ from its masthead, in a move to prevent circulation decline.

The Evening News was one of the success stories of 2004, increasing sales, but since then sales have dropped. Its latest Monday to Friday ABC sales figure is 31,810, down 2.3 per cent year-on-year.

Steve told Holdthefrontpage: “In many ways I will be very sad to leave Bolton. It’s a great news area and I leave behind a talented and committed team.

“But, after 30 years as a journalist, I am looking forward to the challenges of my new role.”

Before moving to Bolton, Steve had been deputy editor of the East Anglian Daily Times.

He began his career on the Hereford Times before moving to the Bristol-based Western Daily Press where he spent three years as a senior reporter.

He then moved to the Buckinghamshire Advertiser series as news editor, before joining the Northern Echo in Darlington as chief reporter and later becoming deputy news editor.

He spent five years in the North East before returning to the Western Daily Press as news editor and then joining the East Anglian Daily Times in 1997.

A successor to Steve in Bolton is now being sought. The advert can be found here