The Middlesbrough Evening Gazette has appointed a new Media Centre manager who will take charge of its community classroom.

Andy Williams, (31), will begin his new role in February, taking over from Victoria Coulson who left in October to take up a wider role at Trinity regional newspapers.

The Media Centre is a purpose-built, state-of-the art learning facility that can be used by local schoolchildren, community groups and businesses for computer training and publishing which is directly linked to the Gazette's printing press.

And Andy, who currently works as marketing and publicity manager at Redcar and Cleveland College, hopes to bring a fresh point of view to the classroom, which was opened by Tony Blair earlier this year.

Andy said: "I am hoping to build on the work that has already been done. I think because I come from a different background I can bring a fresh way, a different perspective, on the things the classroom does."