The Northern Echo was named Newspaper of the Year in the Transco Tom Cordner North East Press Awards.

The Darlington-based paper carried off a clutch of other awards in a ceremony attended by more than 340 people at Newcastle Civic Centre. Forty-three awards were presented. Details appear below and you can read what the judges said by clicking on the links in blue.

Guest speaker was Newsnight presenter Jeremy Vine, who served up a feast of anecdotes and impersonations from his time in Africa and behind-the-scenes stories from Newsnight and other BBC TV and radio programmes.

A Durham University graduate, he said he had once applied for a job with The Journal but his promised 15-minute interview with the editor of the day had been reduced to five and he had not got the job. When Press Awards chairman Bernice Saltzer told him he should speak for 15-20 minuters, he said he reckoned the region was trying to offer him the lost 15 minutes back.

All award-winners received a trophy, a citation and a prize purse – £350 in the main categories; £500 for the North East Journalist and Tom Cordner Quill winners; and £1,000 for the North East Newspaper of the Year, to go to a charity of its choice. Highly commended candidates received a citation and an engraved pewter tankard.

Details:

Ken Robinson Media Relations Prize (for PR person of the year): Andrew Panting, Head of Press and Public Relations, Northumbrian Water Group plc (sponsor: Browne Smith Baker, architects).
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North Eastern Co-op Consumer Affairs Prize: Sharon Griffiths, Northern Echo (sponsor: North Eastern Co-operative Society).
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North East Motoring Writer of the Year: Sarah French, Northern Echo (sponsor: Reg Vardy, plc)
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Haines Watts Business Prize: Scott Armstrong, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle.
Highly commended: Andrew Smith, Evening Gazette, Middlesbrough (sponsor: BKR Haines Watts, Accountants).
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Mike Gilligan Prize – for reporting on the environment: John Dean, freelance (sponsor: Northern Echo).
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Northumbrian Health Prize: Elaine Blackburne, The Journal (sponsor: Northumbrian Water Group plc).
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Tom Bergman Prize for Arts Reportage: Gordon Barr, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle (sponsor: Bergmans PR).
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North East Columnist of the Year: Mike Amos, Northern Echo.
Highly commended: Harry Blackwood, Hartlepool Mail.
(Sponsor: Lynx PR).
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Steve Jones Prize for Journalism that made the greatest contribution to the community: Shields Gazette and Hartlepool Mail reporting teams (sponsor: Whitbread in the Community).
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BT £500 donation to help the community (for best campaign by newspaper or journalist): Northern Echo for Millennium Copse in the Tees Forest. Judges suggested a Millennium Cordner Copse to replace trees consumed by Cordner entries and a plaque to remember 14 deceased North East journalists honoured each year at Awards Night (sponsor: British Telecom).
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Myson Prize for North East Women’s Writer of the Year: Noreen Coltman, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle.
Highly Commended: Linda Colling, Sunderland Echo.
(Sponsor: Potterton Myson).
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North East Freelance of the Year: Sharon Griffiths (sponsor: MOPS).Click here for what the judges said

Jeremy Bennington Prize for Scoop of the Year: Karen Smith, Northern Echo.
Highly Commended: Angela Upex, The Journal
(Sponsor: Café Taverns).
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Investigative Journalist of the Year: Paul Taylor and Patrick Lavelle, Sunderland Echo.
Highly Commended: Andrew McKegney, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle.
(Sponsor: Broad Chare Chambers).
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Kate Adie Prize for Initiative: Barry Nelson and Nigel Burton, Northern Echo.
Highy Commended: Jonathan Ward, Hartlepool Mail.
(Sponsor: Northern Rock plc).
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ABC Spike – for overall page design: Douglas Young, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle.
Highly Commended: David Bohill, Shields Gazette.
(Sponsor: Bradley O’Mahoney PR).
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Splash Award for Front & Back Page Sub-editing and Design: Dave Morton, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle (sponsor: Newcastle Breweries).
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Fred Hurrell Prize for Feature Writing: David Lorimer, Evening Gazette, Middlesbrough.
Highly Commended: Alastair Gilmour, The Journal/Northern Echo.
Sponsor: Cameron Hall Developments).
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Maurice Brady Award for Hard News: Beverly Addy, The Journal (sponsor: Ultimate Windows (BDH)).
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Durham Sporting Plate: Mike Amos, Northern Echo (sponsor: Tyne Tees Models).
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Ian Weir Memorial Prize – North East Picture of the Year: Stuart Boulton, Northern Echo.
Highly Commended: Richard Doughty, Northern Echo.
(Sponsor: Northern Echo).Click here for what the judges said

Jim Merrington Prize: North East Photographer of the Year – Bill Laverty, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle (sponsor: Fuji Photo Film (UK) Ltd).
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Phillip Hickey Prize for Best Sports/News Story: Alan Oliver, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle (sponsor: Northern Echo and Northeast Press Ltd).
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North East Weekly Newspaper Journalist of the Year: Sarah Foster, North Tyneside Herald and Post (sponsor: Alcan Smelting & Power UK).
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North East Weekly Newspaper of the Year: Gateshead Post (Editor: Catherine Welford).
Highly Commended: Hexham Courant.
(Sponsor: Arriva plc).
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Eric Dobson Scroll – Top of the Form NCTJ: Andy Lee, Northern Echo/Shields Gazette (sponsor: North East of England Business and Innovation Centre).
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Tom Cordner Quill – for best trainee journalist (first three years of work): Philippa White, The Journal.
Highly Commended: Louella Houldcroft, The Journal.
(Sponsor: University of Durham).
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North East Journalist of the Year: Mike Amos, Northern Echo.
Highly Commended: Andrew McKegney, Evening Chronicle, Newcastle.
(Sponsor: University of Sunderland).
Click here for what the judges said< /b>

Graeme Stanton Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism: Ranald Allan, former editor, Evening Gazette, Middlesbrough (sponsors: Society of Editors (North East) and Newcastle Chronicle and Journal Ltd).
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North East Newspaper of the Year: Northern Echo (Sponsor: Transco).

Transco was also the main event sponsor for the television and big-screen presentation of Awards Night.
Click here for what the judges said

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