Staff at the Somerset County Gazette were shaken into action ... quite literally.

The week's issue had just rolled off the Weymouth press when Taunton and the surrounding area was rocked by a series of earthquakes.

Not wishing to miss a story which made national TV and radio headlines, the team at Newsquest (Somerset) pulled together to produce a same-day edition Earthquake Special.

The special eight-page wrap, 20,000 copies of which were printed in Southampton, included reports and local reaction to the tremors.

And the centre's advertisement team also sold £3,500 worth of ads into the one-off copy including "earth-shattering reductions" for a furniture shop sale, "a moving experience" (local estate agent) and "shake, rattle and roll" (music shop).

Newsquest (Somerset) managing director Vincent Boni said: "We only had three hours to put the special together. It was a fantastic effort by everyone involved."

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