Carlisle News & Star deputy editor Richard Eccles has been appointed editor of the group's magazines unit.

In his new role Richard, who is also currently deputy editor of The Cumberland News, will edit Cumbria Life.

He will also be responsible for DGB Life - which covers Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders - and nostalgia magazine Yesterday.

He will join the titles on October 29, succeeding Keith Richardson who edited and wrote for Cumbria Life for 18 years before leaving this summer to pursue a freelance writing career.

Richard (pictured) said: "I'm delighted to be taking over, and looking forward to the challenge of developing all the current titles and helping to grow the magazines business within Cumbrian Newspapers."

Richard, (40), has worked for CN Group for his entire career, and started as a reporter on the North West Evening Mail in Barrow in 1990.

He left Barrow as deputy chief sub in 1994, becoming head of production at the News & Star and Cumberland News.

He was later appointed assistant editor and became deputy editor in 2003.