Jerzy Morkis has been appointed editor of the East Fife Mail.

The move sees him returning to the paper where he began his journalism career almost 30 years ago, and also marks his return to local newspapers after seven years in corporate publishing.

After starting out as a trainee reporter in 1978, he spent 22 years working on Johnston Press’s titles in Fife, becoming group editor with specific responsibility for the Fife Free Press.

From there he joined Catchline Communications as a director, and when the company was bought by The BIG partnership in 2004 he became head of publications.

Jerzy, a former chairman of the Society of Editors (Scotland), told HoldtheFrontPage that he was returning to weekly papers as he liked “local papers being part of his life”.

He said: “I have always had an interest in the East Fife Mail and have kept a keen eye on it.

“It is a great little paper with a very newsworthy community and I’m looking forward to getting into the swing of things.”

The weekly East Fife Mail is part of Johnston’s Strachan & Livingston division, and is based in Leven in Fife where Jerzy – who is of Polish descent – was born.

Jerzy (50), succeeds Iain Muirhead, who left the East Fife Mail in December to pursue a creative writing project.

Jerzy and Ian previously worked together when Jerzy edited the Fife Free Press and Ian was the paper’s chief reporter.