Kent Messenger Group editorial director Simon Irwin has been appointed to the board of the Press Complaints Commission.

He has taken up the role following the retirement from the Commission of Manchester Evening News editor Paul Horrocks, and was nominated by the Newspaper Society.

He joins South Wales Evening Post editor Spencer Feeney and Aberdeen Press & Journal editor Derek Tucker as one of three journalists from regional newspapers on the board.

There are seven editors on the Commission in total, also coming from magazines and national newspapers, and there are also ten lay members who have no connection with the industry other than by their membership of the PCC.

Simon has been editorial director of the Kent Messenger Group since 2003, having previously been editor of the Kent Messenger between 1998 and 2003.

Prior to joining KMG he was assistant editor of The Western Mail in Cardiff, and has also worked for the Derby Evening Telegraph, Radio Hallam in Sheffield, The Sheffield Star and the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

He began his journalism career as a reporter with the Mansfield Chad.

Paul Horrocks had served on the PCC for just over four years until the end of 2006.