Craven Herald editor Ian Lockwood has stepped down from his role after 14 years.

Ian said he wished to start a new chapter in his life, and is currently taking time out away from newspapers.

He was appointed editor of the Craven Herald in January 1993, and has since overseen many changes at the weekly, including the introduction of colour and more recently the development of its website.

Ian trained as a reporter on the York Evening Press, covering the miners’ strike in the Selby coalfield before moving for brief spells on the South Wales Argus and Rochdale Observer. He then returned to the York Evening Press as sports editor for six years.

In 1991 he joined the now-defunct Yorkshire on Sunday, before moving to the Herald.

He was the youngest editor in the Westminster Press stable when he was appointed to the Herald in succession to Jack Heald.

Ian said that he was proud of his achievement in improving its design and making it easier to read, and was also proud of taking the newspaper to its highest-ever circulation.

In May 2001 he produced the first front page in the paper’s history without any adverts when foot and mouth struck the area.

His use of photographer Stephen Garnett’s picture of Hellifield farmer Richard Barron standing among his slaughtered cattle made the national news as an indication of how serious the crisis was.

Ian said: “I believe I leave the Herald a better paper than it was when I found it.

“However, after 14 years, I now feel it is time for a new hand on the tiller. I am confident that my successor will continue to improve the paper even further.

“I have been lucky to have had some tremendous work colleagues over the years and I thank them for their support.”