The country's first 'penny' title, the Evening Advertiser in Swindon, is about to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

When it was founded in 1854 as Britain's first penny newspaper, it had just one employee - editor and proprietor William Morris - and boasted just four pages, most of which were advertisements.

Today 289 people are employed at the offices in Victoria Road and the paper is packed with news, sport, and entertainment.

To celebrate the anniversary, the Evening Advertiser produced a special birthday edition looking back at the news over the years and talking to readers about their town and their newspaper.

The Evening Advertiser plans to celebrate for the next 150 publications with more features and news from yesteryear, and the chance to win goodies to celebrate the birthday.

A number of special publications are also planned over the period.

And on the actual birthday all the staff were treated to a special buffet party and given a bottle of commemorative beer and a mug featuring the birthday logo.

Swindon-based Arkell's Brewery has also got in on the celebrations with the Adver Ale, to mark the paper's milestone, which is available at selected Arkell's pubs and Sainsbury's stores.

Mark Suddaby, managing director of Newsquest Wiltshire, is pictured below, cutting a special anniversary cake.

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