Sue Smith has been named as the new editor of the weekly Stroud News & Journal in Gloucestershire.

She succeeds Skip Walker, who moves to the Gloucestershire Gazette as editor from the end of this month, replacing David Cullimore, who is retiring.

Sue, (47), has been news editor of the Journal for the past four years but started her journalism career in 1976 as a trainee reporter on the Bury Free Press, Bury St Edmunds.

She progressed through the Oxford Journal and Brighton Journal to the Daily Mail and Weekend magazine where highlights included interviewing a ferret at Inverary Castle, Scottish home of the Duchess of Argyll.

During a break to bring up her children, during which she wrote freelance articles for a number of national newspapers and magazines, Sue rediscovered her passion for local newspapers and joined the Stroud News & Journal in 2000.

Trevor Sallis, publisher of Newsquest's Gloucestershire titles, said: "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Sue as editor of the Stroud News & Journal and wish her every success in her new position."