The owners of the Cambridge Evening News and Burton Mail have bought the Heartland Evening News.

The paper, which covers Nuneaton, Bedworth, Atherstone and Hinckley, was previously owned by independent newspaper publisher Nuneaton and District Newspapers Limited, and has now been acquired by Iliffe News and Media Limited, the publishing subsidiary of Yattendon Investment Trust.

It will become part of Staffordshire Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Burton Mail, Ashbourne News Telegraph, Uttoxeter Advertiser, Staffordshire Newsletter, Black Country Bugle and Your Leek Paper.

David Fordham, group publishing director of Yattendon Investment Trust plc, said: “The relationship between Staffordshire Newspapers and Nuneaton and District Newspapers has been firmly established over a number of years through the provision of contract printing services from our Burton upon Trent facility.

“This is the third newspaper acquisition that we have completed within the past year and it dovetails neatly into our existing business.

“This further demonstrates our strategic commitment to grow our print and digital media interests.”

The sale follows Iliffe’s purchase of Staffordshire weekly Your Leek Paper last month.

And in August last year it bought Bedford-based LSN Media Ltd, publishers of Bedfordshire on Sunday, MK News, Luton on Sunday, Dunstable on Sunday, Leighton Buzzard on Sunday and Hertfordshire on Sunday.

It is one of the ten largest regional press publishers in the UK, also comprising Cambridge Newspapers, Herts & Essex Newspapers and Staffordshire Newspapers as well as holding a major share of Channel Television.