Richard Prest has been appointed the new deputy editor of the Evening Express in Aberdeen.

Richard, (32), joined the paper as a trainee reporter in 1990, and his previous posts have included crime reporter, chief reporter, news editor and assistant editor.

He said: “It is a great honour to have been appointed deputy editor of what is a fantastic newspaper.

“We have a tremendous team in Aberdeen that is determined to take the newspaper to an even higher level.”

Richard was the driving force behind one of the paper’s most memorable front pages.

Slow down – Save a Life, which he co-ordinated, raised awareness of the dangers of speed on the roads with a montage of young road accident victims’ photos.

Damian Bates was appointed editor of the Evening Express in April, a promotion from deputy editor.

He succeeded Donald Martin who moved to Glasgow to edit his home city paper, the Evening Times.

Aberdeen Journals Ltd, publisher of the Aberdeen Press & Journal and Aberdeen Evening Express, was sold to to DC Thomson & Co Ltd by Northcliffe Newspapers in April.