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Changes at the top for Westcountry weeklies

Changes have been made to the senior editorial team at Cornwall & Devon Media as part of Northcliffe’s Aim Higher programme.

Mid Devon Gazette editor Mary-Ann Bloomfield has been appointed commercial editor of CDM, which publishes the Gazette, the North Devon Journal, The West Briton, Cornish Guardian and The Cornishman.

In her new role she will take day-to-day editorial management responsibility for the company’s niche portfolio, which includes magazines, as well as managing the editorial commercial support content and leisure output.

North Devon Journal editor Richard Best has been appointed editor for Devon, taking day-to-day responsibility for the Mid Devon Gazette Series as well as the North Devon Journal.

Jeremy Ridge has been appointed editor for Cornwall, and will be in day-to-day charge of the three weekly Cornish newspapers. He had previously edited The Cornishman.

They will all report to Cornwall & Devon Media editor-in-chief Andy Cooper, who was formerly managing editor of the North Devon Journal and Mid Devon Gazette Series. Jeremy Ridge will act as his deputy.

The appointments follow the departure of West Briton editor Richard Vanhinsbergh and Cornish Guardian editor Alan Cooper, both of whom retired last year.