Northcliffe Newspapers has agreed a deal to buy the free weekly Radstock and Midsomer Norton Journal in Somerset.

The Government is now seeking views from other parties before making a decision on the transfer.

The Journal distributes 14,000 copies a week in the former mining area near Bath, which is also covered by Northcliffe's Somerset Guardian and the free weekly Bath Times.

It was founded by Steve Shipley, who was later joined by George Donkin, and is now firmly established in the area.

The 24-page A4 Journal would move the company towards its aim of being readily accessible to all advertising markets across different newspaper platforms.

Northcliffe's corporate development director Andrew Calvert said: "This is really local stuff and would attract advertisers who would not necessarily look to the other newspapers."

The purchase has been agreed subject to the Department of Trade and Industry giving it the go-ahead.

The circulation figures for titles owned by Northcliffe mean that written consent of the Secretary of State is required.

It would not have to go to the Competition Commission because the average sales per day are less than 50,000.

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