The Bournemouth Echo has been named as the top daily paper in the London and South East region at this year’s EDF Energy Awards.

The ceremony at Sandown Park racecourse saw the Newsquest-owned daily lose out on five out of the six awards for which it was nominated before landing the big prize at the end.

Judges said the paper had “a genuine focus on what matters to its readers” and was “packed with hard news, in-depth features, community content and stand out supplements.”

The awards, held in association with HoldtheFrontPage, honour the best in local journalism across London, Dorset, Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, East and West Sussex and Kent.

Echo editor Toby Granville receives the Daily Newspaper of the Year prize

There was a hat-trick of awards for the Croydon Advertiser, two of which went to its star reporter Gareth Davies.

Judges praised Gareth for his “great journalism and use of the right digital tools and channels” as he was named both Digital Journalist of the Year and Weekly Journalist of the Year, while the  paper also picked up the Front Page of the Year.

There were also three awards for Brighton daily The Argus including Photographer of the Year for Simon Dack who has now won the award on four occasions.

And Jenny Makin, of the Southern Daily Echo, picked up the Daily Print Journalist of the Year award for the third year running.

Tim McCoy, EDF Energy’s Head of Media Relations, said: “Exceptional journalism in print, online, on radio and television has made for a fantastic set of award winners.

“This was not a year when one broadcaster or newspaper dominated, and it’s encouraging to see the breadth of talent and originality we have right across the region.”

On the judging panel were Laurence Reed, of BBC Cornwall, Paul Burton, editor of Exeter’s Express and Echo, David George, of BBC Spotlight, Simon Parker, editor of Cornwall Living, Marc Astley, editor of the Exeter Daily, Gordon Richardson, business editor of the Express and Echo, photographer Matt Austin and HTFP editor Paul Linford.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Newcomer of the Year: Bill Gardner, The Argus, Brighton

Digital Journalist of the Year:  Gareth Davies, Croydon Advertiser

Specialist Journalist of the Year:  Colin Campbell, BBC South East Today

Sports Journalist of the Year: Sally Simmonds, ITV Meridian

Designer of the Year: Ashley Austen, KM Group

News Photographer of the Year: Simon Dack, The Argus

Feature Writer of the Year:  Alice Hutton, Camden New Journal

Columnist of the Year: Tim Ridgway, The Argus

Weekly Print Journalist of the Year: Gareth Davies, Croydon Advertiser

Daily Print Journalist of the Year: Jenny Makin, Southern Daily Echo

Radio News Journalist of the Year: Nick Ferrari, LBC97.3

TV News Journalist of the Year: Simon Harris, ITV News London

Community Campaign of the Year: ITV Meridian, From the Heart

Front Page of the Year: Croydon Advertiser, Time for New Heroes

Website of the Year: The News, Portsmouth.co.uk

Weekly Free Newspaper of the Year: Slough and South Bucks Express

Weekly Paid for Newspaper of the Year: Medway Messenger

Radio News Programme of the Year: LBC 97.3, Woolwich News Special

TV News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year: ITV News London, Woolwich attack, Vauxhall helicopter crash, London Olympics

Daily Newspaper of the Year: Bournemouth Daily Echo

All the winner from this year's EDF Energy London and South of England Awards