An independent publisher has relaunched nine newspaper websites offering “unique” real-time local sports coverage for readers.

NWN Media has announced the revamp of nine sites and has also launched a new online business directory.

Sites to be relaunched include that of daily newspaper The Leader – which has editions covering Chester, Flintshire and Wrexham.

New features include ‘as-it-stands’ football league tables, fixtures and results, providing fans of teams as far down as level three of the Welsh football pyramid with a service which NWN claims is among the first of its kind in the UK.

The relaunched Rhyl Journal website

The sites also feature ‘infinite scroll’ linked bitesize content at the bottom of articles, which shows readers the first two paragraphs of other stories on the site.

Faster loading picture galleries are also included, along with new and prominent display advertising slots.

Barrie Jones, executive editorial director at NWN Media, said: “Our intention has been to create a digital experience that is above all – user friendly and effective across all platforms.

“Our online audience and revenues are showing growth and like all news media we need to tell stories in the most contemporary way.

“All our editors and daily newsdesk already work seamlessly across print and digital and we believe the new sites will significantly enhance the way our content is presented.”

Other websites to receive the upgrade are the Chester Standard, Denbighshire Free Press, North Wales Chronicle, North Wales Pioneer, Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer, Powys County Times, Rhyl Journal and Whitchurch Herald.

They were developed by digital publishing software provider Miles 33, which also helped create the new NWN Business Directory.

Gary York, digital manager at NWN, said: “It was important that we created websites that would be popular with our audiences and advertisers.

“User experience is vital for maintaining and growing our digital audience and I’m delighted that we have delivered websites that can help our users access and enjoy our content online.

“We have incorporated a few features which we believe are unique to the regional digital publishing scene, in particular real-time football tables, results and fixtures on our sports page.

“This should serve as a ‘go-to’ page for all our local football fans keen to access accurate, up-to-the minute information on their favourite team.”