A BAFTA-winning journalist has thanked the regional daily where he started his career for setting him on his road to the accolade.

Liam McDougall works as a producer for BBC Scotland’s investigations unit, which won the current affairs prize at the Scottish BAFTA ceremony.

Liam, 41, began his career on his hometown daily the Greenock Telegraph and told his former employer he owes his success to getting his first break there.

Liam’s unit won the award for Panorama Britain’s Puppy Dealers Exposed programme.

He told the Telegraph: “It was my first ever job and I was thrilled to work on a newspaper that covered my home town.

“I don’t think there was any other local paper that was comparable, you had the court, prison and a council that was quite a good size at that time.

“I really enjoyed my time with the Greenock Telegraph, it is a terrific newspaper. It taught you how to be a journalist.

“I learned a lot. If I hadn’t started at the Telegraph, I wouldn’t be here sitting talking to you today.”

Liam spent a year at the Tele between 1997 and 1998 before got a job as a staff writer with the Big Issue.

He went on to become home affairs correspondent with Scotland on Sunday and home affairs editor at the Sunday Herald, before moving to the BBC 10 years ago.