Compulsory redundancies have been avoided at Wolverhampton's Express & Star and the Shropshire Star, with 69 staff set to leave the company.

Publisher Midland News Association launched a voluntary redundancy scheme in an effort to cut overheads, but it had been feared that if not enough people came forward or there was not a wide enough cross-section, that compulsory cuts would have to be made.

At the Express and Star 14 editorial jobs are to go out of a total 39 redundancies at the paper.

The company had previously said it was looking to shed 50 posts there, but this has been reduced due to natural wastage.

At the Shropshire Star six editorial posts will go, with another 24 staff leaving from other departments.

John Corser, NUJ father of chapel for the Express & Star, told HoldtheFrontPage that staff were pleased to have avoided compulsory redundancies.

He said: "As long as any members choosing to take redundancy are happy with the package offered then that is a matter for them."

Midland News Association received around 100 redundancy applications after announcing it planned to cut 70 jobs following a significant decline in advertising revenues.