The Leek, Cheadle and Uttoxeter Post & Times has appointed a new editor in Doug Pickford.

He takes charge of a series of paid-for weeklies with a combined circulation of around 18,000, comprising the The Leek Post & Times, Cheadle Post & Times and the Uttoxeter Post & Times.

Doug, a newspaper journalist for 40 years, is now working in his home town for the first time. He will report directly to Sean Dooley, editor at The Sentinel.

The appointment comes at a busy time for the newspapers. Next month the Leek Post & Times will be moving to newly refurbished offices closer to the heart of the community.

It was first published as the Leek Times in 1870, merging with the Leek Post in 1936.

The weekly was recently acquired by Staffordshire Sentinel Newspapers Ltd, whose parent company is Northcliffe Newspapers.

When the family firm that ran the paper sold it to Northcliffe in June last year, the new owners hailed the business as having "exciting prospects" - and was looking forward to working closely with staff to maximise its future potential.

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