Regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press is celebrating the best in north-east journalism with a new awards scheme.

Eighteen gongs were handed out among its portfolio of daily and weekly newspapers at the inaugural Northeast Press Awards at a ceremony in South Shields.

Among the big winners were the Hartlepool Mail and Sunderland Echo which both picked up six awards each.

Ian Willis, from the Mail, took best story with his tale about a yob urinating on a dying woman which was picked up by many national newspapers.

Sunderland Echo snapper Tony Colling took both best picture and best portfolio for his "technical achievement across a wide range of photographic studies".

The full list of award winners is:

Best Reporter's Portfolio (Daily)
Winner Ian Willis, Hartlepool Mail
Highly Commended - Angela Reed, Shields Gazette

Best Reporter’s Portfolio (Weekly)
Winner – David Sedgewick, News Guardian
Highly Commended - Anna Smith, Morpeth Herald

Trainee of the Year (Daily)
Joint Winners - Tracy Walker, Hartlepool Mail, Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended - David McClean, Shields Gazette

Trainee of the Year (Weekly)
Winner - Helen Woods, Northumberland Gazette
Highly Commended - James Willoughby, Northumberland Gazette

Best Columnist
Winner – Richard Ord, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended - Gavin Ledwith, Hartlepool Mail

Best Story
Winner – Ian Willis, Hartlepool Mail
Highly Commended - Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo, and Angela Reed, Shields Gazette

Best Sports Story
Winner – Miles Starforth, Shields Gazette
Highly Commended - Andrew Coulson, Morpeth Herald

Best Feature (Daily)
Winner – Linda Colling, Sunderland Echo

Best Feature (Weekly)
Winner – Anna Smith, Morpeth Herald
Highly Commended - Hayley Revell, News Guardian

Best Online Contribution
Winner – Lee Hall, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended - Robert Brooks, Northumberland Gazette

Best Picture
Winner – Tony Colling, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended - Tim Richardson, Shields Gazette

Best portfolio of pictures
Winner – Tony Colling, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended - Tom Yeoman, Sunderland Echo

Best Front Page (Daily)
Winner – John Fleet, Hartlepool Mail
Highly Commended - John Bainbridge, Sunderland Echo

Best Front Page (Weekly)
Winner – Ian Arkle, News Guardian

Best Back Page
Winner – Ian Monaghan, Hartlepool Mail

Best Initiative
Winner – Knives Ruin Lives, Shields Gazette
Highly Commended - Walk for Justice, Sunderland Echo

Best Inside Pages (Daily)
Winner – Production Team, Hartlepool Mail

Best Inside Pages (Weekly)
Winner – Janet Hall, Northumberland Gazette

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