The North West Evening Mail has become a focus for the people of Barrow-in-Furness, who have been in the grip of a Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak for the past week.

The newsroom team has been working to be first with the exclusives, while also providing advice and information to the public.

Health reporter Jo Halpin and local government writer Jon Walker have been at the forefront of coverage, co-ordinated by assistant editor (news) Steve Hartley.

Sales have been up on the 20,000 circulation as readers clamour for news, and special publications have been printed on the biggest story to hit the town in years. Monday’s paper had seven pages devoted to what Steve called the “once-in-a-lifetime” story.

Editor Steve Brauner said: “We’ve been very busy and the newsroom has done a great job.

“We had a special edition out two hours early on Saturday which sold 700 copies, and apart from that, Saturday’s sales were 13 per cent up.

“We’ve had a couple of people in this office with minor symptoms. Both went to see their doctors and one was given some tablets.

“This is different to previous outbreaks because a lot of younger people have been affected as well.

“We’ve had a lot of great stories from this. Everyone has been pitching in to do their bit and cover every angle.

“We’ve had a string of exclusives that other papers in the area have not carried and have carried a lot of different angles. We’ve got the resources, we know the area well and we have the people on the ground.”

The paper has: