Sunday Herald picture editor Neil Bennett is to be reunited with his former editor when he joins the Western Mail in December.

Neil, (31), is to join the paper in the newly created role of deputy editor and his appointment follows that of Alan Edmunds, who became editor of the Western Mail in September.

The pair have worked together on a number of occasions, most recently when Alan was editor of Wales on Sunday and Neil was the paper's picture editor and then assistant editor.

Neil's appointment also sees him returning to the newspaper where he began his journalism career.

Originally from Cardiff, he joined the Western Mail and South Wales Echo as a trainee photographer in 1990.

Working his way up the ranks, he became a senior photographer, assistant picture editor and then picture editor for the Western Mail.

Neil then took a break from regional newspapers and went to work for an agency in New York for a year before returning to Wales and joining Alan at Wales on Sunday late in 1997.

After two years at the Sunday newspaper, firstly as picture editor and then assistant editor, Neil was asked to join the Sunday Herald and decided to make the move up to Scotland where he has been picture editor for the past three years.

Neil said: "I've worked alongside Alan for a number of years and he approached me about returning to the Western Mail.

"I can't wait to get started. We've discussed plans but he's waiting for me to join him so we can decide what direction we want to take the paper in."

Neil will leave the Sunday Herald on December 10 and take up his new role on December 16.

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