The Oldham Evening Chronicle and the free weekly Chronicle Weekend are to be printed by Trinity Mirror at Hollinwood, Oldham, from June.

The Chronicle's on-site press - in need of either major investment or replacement - will be closed, with the loss of eight jobs.

Directors at Hirst, Kidd and Rennie Ltd, the proprietor of the newspapers, view the decision as an "exciting opportunity" to move the Chronicle forward and create an improved product for readers.

They say that more colour and faster printing will give a better service for advertisers and readers with improved availability to their new demands.

Managing director Philip Hirst said: "This has been a hard decision to take.

"It will be the first time that the newspaper has not had its own press since it was founded in 1854.

"However, because we are outsourcing the printing to TMP whose plant is about a mile away, the Chronicle remains an Oldham product through and through.

"We are looking forward to working with TMP to improve the newspaper and provide Oldham with an even better news and advertising service than before."

The Chronicle's property supplement, Home Life, will be able to offer full colour for the first time.

And the company will be taking the chance to expand its portfolio of products with the recently announced upmarket magazine Fourmost, which will be distributed to homes in Oldham and Tameside, providing a targeted 15,000 circulation product for advertisers. The first edition is due through letterboxes in May.

Expansion of Chronicle’s website www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk is also planned.