A daily newspaper editor in the North West is to switch roles to take charge of another daily title in the region.

Gillian Gray, left, is moving from the Wigan Evening Post after 15 years to take over as the new editor of The Gazette, Blackpool.

She succeeds David Helliwell, who left the Gazette to become editor of the Carlisle News & Star and The Cumberland News at the end of 2011.

As well as editing the Evening Post, Gillian is group editor of Johnston Press sister titles the Wigan Observer and The Reporter series covering Wigan, Leigh and St Helens.

Gillian, who takes up her new role on 2 April, said she was looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“Blackpool is my home town so it’s great to be going back – I’ve got lots of family and friends on the Fylde coast and I’m looking forward to what are some pretty big challenges,” she said.

“There have been so many changes in the way we operate – and with the digital opportunities and the challenge of newspaper sales there is plenty of work to do.”

“I’ll be very sorry to leave Wigan. There is a fantastic team of people here and some very talented journalists, who it has been a privilege to work with. But I’m excited and looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Gillian began her career at the Warrington Guardian and later moved to the Coventry Evening Telegraph before returning to her native Lancashire.

She is also a former editor of the Chorley Guardian and news editor at the Lancashire Evening Post.