Nominess for the 2007 North West Newspaper Awards have been announced.

Journalists from the Manchester Evening News, Cumbrian Newspapers, Liverpool Post & Echo, Blackpool Gazette and Oldham Evening Chronicle are among the nominees, from what judges describe as a very high standard of entries.

The awards are sponsored by British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd and organised through the North West region of the Society of Editors.

Bill Anderton, head of communications at Sellafield, said: "Shortlisting the nominees was a difficult job for the judges, with almost 100 entries in this year's competition."

Winners will be announced at a special presentation lunch at the Radisson SAS Hotel at Manchester Airport on June 29.

Each individual category has prize money of £700 for the winner and £150 for each of the runners-up.

The judges were Doug Melloy, editor of the Rotherham Advertiser; John Furbisher, editor of the Halifax Courier; and Richard Catlow from the North West Society of Editors.

A full list of nominees is below:

News Reporter of the Year
Phil Coleman, Cumbrian Newspapers
Shelagh Parkinson, Blackpool Gazette
Neal Keeling, Manchester Evening News

Feature Writer of the Year
Simon Donohue, Manchester Evening News
Anne Pickles, Cumbrian Newspapers
Paddy Shennan, Liverpool Echo

Sports Reporter of the Year
Amanda Little, Cumbrian Newspapers
Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo
Neil Bonnar, The Bolton News

Photographer of the Year
Matt Ratcliffe, Stockport Express
Dominic Salter, Stockport Express
Colin lane, Liverpool Daily Post & Echo

Young Journalist of the Year
Jennifer Hollamby, Oldham Evening Chronicle
Amanda Crook, Manchester Evening News
Stefanie Hall, Lancashire Evening Post

Daily Newspaper of the Year
Manchester Evening News
News & Star
Liverpool Echo

Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Accrington Observer
Chester Chronicle
Cumberland News

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