Coventry Telegraph journalist Les Reid added to his growing haul of awards last night as the 2013 Midlands Media Awards were handed out.

Les, who last month won the Columnist of the Year prize at the Regional Press Awards, walked away with two more awards from last night’s ceremony at Villa Park.

The political specialist retained both the awards he won at the same event last year – Journalist of the Year and Daily News Reporter of the Year – as well as being shortlisted for two other prizes.

Among his entries was a story about the alleged bullying of a journalist at a local BBC Radio Station who took his own life, which prompted an internal inquiry and became a major national story.

MMA journalist of the year Les Reid with Francesca Baller (left) and Jo Lloyd from headline sponsors Birmingham Airport

Meanwhile Les’s Coventry Telegraph colleague Martin Bagot won the Scoop of the Year prize for his report into how an internet storm was sparked off by grieving squaddies being turned away from a Coventry bar.

And Sam Morris, of the Lincolnshire Echo, was named Weekly News Reporter of the Year for a range of stories which, the judges said, required “journalistic enterprise – and a real human touch.”

The team awards saw a triumph for two of the region’s daily-turned-weekly titles – the Lincolnshire Echo which was named Newspaper of the Year and the Northamton Chronicle and Echo which was highly commended in the same category.

It was one of four awards for the Echo, which also won the Campaign of the Year and News Photographer of the Year prizes.

Commenting on the Echo’s success, chairman of judges Peter Lowe said it had combined investigative journalism and strong local campaigns with a high volume of strong news stories in a well laid-out newspaper.

The judges also applauded the Echo’s commitment to local court reporting and its strong campaign to save Lincoln Prison from closure.

Peter, managing editor of Sky News, added:  “Having worked for the first half of my career in the Midlands, it was a reminder of the rich tradition of tireless investigation, campaigning and story-telling in the region.

“We were particularly struck by the way in which local newspapers – among the most hard-pressed institutions in the ever-changing media landscape – are still delivering sharp and original journalism for the benefit of their readers.  Long may it continue!”

The full list of winners and highly commended entrants is as follows:

Business Journalist of the Year. Sponsored by Barclays
Winner – Jon Griffin, BPM Media
Highly recommended – Duncan Tift, The Business Desk

Campaign of the Year. Sponsored by Birmingham Airport
Winner – Lincolnshire Echo

Columnist of the Year. Sponsored by Planet Rock
Winner – Jon Griffin, BPM Media

Feature Writer of the Year. Sponsored by Birmingham City University
Winner – Cara Simpson, Coventry Telegraph

Headline of the Year. Sponsored by Barclays
Winner – David Briggs, Express & Star

Journalist of the Year. Sponsored by Birmingham Airport
Winner – Les Reid, Coventry Telegraph
Highly Commended – Jeanette Oldham, Birmingham Mail

Magazine or Supplement of the Year.  Sponsored by Birmingham Press Club
Winner – Nottingham Post Weekend
Highly Commended – Taste the Seasons

Public Choice. Sponsored by Birmingham Press Club
Winner – PDBlogspot

Newcomer / Student of the Year. Sponsored by Bournville College
Winner – Harriet Robinson, Trinity Mirror/ The Hinckley Times
Highly Commended – Paul Creeney, Staffordshire University

Newspaper of the Year. Sponsored by Birmingham Airport
Winner – Lincolnshire Echo
Highly Commended – Northampton Chronicle & Echo

News Photo of the Year. Sponsored by Drayton Manor Theme Park
Winner – Tim Easthope, BPM Media

News Reporter of the Year (Daily).  Sponsored by East Midlands Airport
Winner – Les Reid, Coventry Telegraph

News Reporter of the Year (Weekly). Sponsored by East Midlands Airport
Winner – Sam Morris, Lincolnshire Echo

News Website of the Year. Sponsored by Birmingham Airport
Winner – BPM Media

Radio Journalist of the Year. Sponsored by Staffordshire University
Winner – Adrian Goldberg, BBC WM 95.6
Highly Commended – Dan Dawson, Free Radio

Scoop of the Year. Sponsored by East Midlands Airport
Winner – Martin Bagot, Coventry Telegraph
Highly Commended – Les Reid, Coventry Telegraph

Sports Journalist of the Year. Sponsored by Aston Villa FC
Winner – Steve Carley, Worcester News

Sports Photographer of the Year. Sponsored by Century Print
Winner – Dan Matthams, Nottingham Post
Highly Commended – John Jenkins, Lincolnshire Echo

Television Journalist of the Year. Sponsored by Ember Television
Winner – Mark Gough, ITV News – Central

The Tony Flanagan News Photographer of the Year Award. Sponsored by Birmingham Press Club
Winner – Anna Draper, Lincolnshire Echo
Highly Commended – Chris Gordon, Leicester Mercury

The Lincolnshire Echo team, led by editor Steven Fletcher, right, celebrate their win