The Powys County Times picked up the top prize at the North Wales Newspapers annual awards night with editor Nick Knight collecting the trophy for Newspaper Of The Year.

Judges described the Welshpool based title as a ‘brilliant example of a title which got to the heart of its community with grass root coverage while also carrying hard hitting news content with real attitude’.

The County Times also collected an award for the best designed pages.

Free newspaper awards went to the Rhyl Journal and the Chester Standard, with the Journal also awarded for the best front page of the year.

Wrexham Evening Leader features writer Tony Challis was named Reporter Of The Year, the Leader’s Simon Williams Tully named Photographer Of The Year and sports editor Nick Harrison named Sports Reporter Of The Year.

The Evening Leader also picked up the Campaigning Newspaper Of The Year award for leading the fight to save Wrexham Football Club from extinction.

North Wales Living magazine won two awards for Best New Revenue Stream and Advertisement Feature Of The Year.