Paisley Daily Express editor Norman Macdonald is to leave the newspaper next week to set up his own media company, Macdonald Media.

Norman, (46), who has edited the Scottish title for the past eight years, has already secured several public relations and in-house and trade publication contracts.

And he plans to be able to advise companies on editorial strategies to increase circulation, following his success at building sales at the Paisley Daily Express.

During his time as editor, the paper’s circulation has increased by 30 per cent to 11,000, and it has picked up the Newspaper Society’s award for the fastest-growing regional morning paper for the past five years.

Norman said: “If anybody wishes me to advise them on ideas of how to turn around a falling circulation I’d be happy to. I’ve been through it and turned around a paper and can tap into those experiences.”

As well as his circulation expertise, Norman will be able to draw on 28 years of newspaper experience.

At 17 he moved from Paisley to Bedford to train on the Bedfordshire Times and worked on a number of Scottish weeklies before joining the Paisley Daily Express as a reporter, and later as news editor.

He also worked on the Daily Record in Scotland, becoming assistant news editor, before returning to the Paisley Daily Express as editor.

Norman said: “I have a wide experience of the media industry on regional and national newspapers as a reporter, sub-editor, news editor and editor.

“I think it is important in PR to have a good news sense and I have developed this and got to know what makes a good story, what makes a good picture and what newspapers want.

“It’s a new adventure. I love the variety and excitment of newspapers but that will still be there – even more so as I’ll be my own boss and will be creating my own excitment.”