The Northern Echo has been named as Newsquest’s Daily Newspaper of the Year.

Editor Peter Barron collected the award in a year in which his paper has already been named Best Daily Newspaper in the North East in the Tom Cordner Awards.

Judges described the Darlington-based paper as “Sure-footed, consistent, well-designed”, and added “If we lived there we’d buy it”.

The two other short-listed papers were the Swindon Evening Advertiser, edited by Simon O’Neill, and the York Evening Press, edited by Liz Page.

The awards ceremony was held at the start of the Newsquest publishing group’s annual editorial conference, in Bradford.

Perry Austin-Clarke, editor of the Bradford Telegraph & Argus, paid tribute to the high quality of entries.

Barry Nelson, of the Northern Echo, won Reporter of the Year for his compelling stories published as part of the newspaper’s A Chance To Live campaign. Judges described them as “cohesive, well-written and readable”.

The campaign is fighting to reduce hospital waiting times for patients needing heart surgery. It was launched after the newspaper’s own deputy chief photographer, Ian Weir, died from a heart attack while waiting for a triple bypass operation.

Close runners-up were Ian Lamming, of The Northern Echo, and Phil Mills, of the Brighton Evening Argus.

Brighton Evening Argus man Jim Holden was chosen as Photographer of the Year. His portfolio was described as “highly unusual and diverse”. Also shortlisted were Stuart Purfield, of the Journal & Admag series, Evesham, and Simon Walton of the Bradford Telegraph & Argus.

Sports Writer of the Year went to John Carter, of the Swindon Evening Advertiser, whose topical stories reached the parts others didn’t, said the judges.

Mike Amos, of The Northern Echo, and Teresa Phillips, of the Bromsgrove Advertiser/Messenger, were runners-up.

Angela Wintle, of the Brighton Evening Argus, won Feature Writer of the Year. Judges said there was “…enough of the candidate’s personality in there to make sense – not enough to intrude.” They called her work “Excellent examples of the feature writer’s art”.

Also shortlisted were her colleague Jacqui Bealing along with Stephen Lewis of the York Evening Press.

It was impossible for the judges to decide between two of the three shortlisted candidates for Newcomer of the Year, so the award was shared between Lester Posner, of the Bucks Free Press, and Dan Rutstein, of the York Evening Press. Runner-up was Sally Hall of the Brighton Evening Argus.

The Website of the Year winner was said to have “…clear navigation and design with a greater sense of focus overall than the other sites. Fewest clicks to what you want. Lots of good use of visuals.” It was www.thisisyork.co.uk

Runners-up were www.thisisbrighton.co.ukand www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk

Engraved trophies were presented to the winners by John Curley, chairman of Newsquest’s US parent company Gannett.

For more detailed coverage of the awards on the Internet, by Newsquest trainee Ian Midgley, click here and visit the Newsquest editors’ conference website.

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