Northcliffe Newspapers looks set to snap up a series of weekly newspapers in Staffordshire.

The newspaper group has applied to the Department of Trade and Industry for permission to buy the newspaper publishing interests of the Hill Brothers Group.

The current owners of the titles have agreed to the sale of the Leek Post and Times, Cheadle Post and Times, and Uttoxeter Post and Times - which have a combined circulation of around 18,000.

The sale would also include the Ad-News series of free weekly newspapers in Congleton and Biddulph; the Cheshire Community News - a series of eight free titles published monthly in Macclesfield, Romiley, Middlewich, Four Heatons, Wilmslow, Bramhall, Hale and Lymm; and a weekly Property Guide.

In a statement, DMGT, owners of the Northcliffe Newspaper Group, said: "Northcliffe believes that the business has exciting prospects and very much looks forward to working closely with the staff to maximise its future potential."