The Kent Messenger Group is now reaching the whole of Kent – and beyond – with its newspapers, with the launch of two new editions.

A new KM Sevenoaks Extra is being distributed this week, giving the group a presence in the town for the first time in four years.

And the group is also extending its reach into the London Borough of Bexley, with the launch of the KM Bexley Extra on April 27.

KMG previously published the Sevenoaks title, which is an edition of the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells Extras, until February 2001. The new edition will be distributed free to 17,000 households.

The launch has seen the creation of four new editorial jobs – a news editor, reporter, sub-editor and photographer – and it will be edited by Ron Green, who already edits the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells Extras.

KMG chief executive David Lewis said: “This is all about strengthening our position in Kent and increasing the level of competition and choice for readers and advertisers.

“The Sevenoaks Extra completes our countywide coverage. It is in response to the growth of the town and surrounding communities, and the demand for quality local news from local residents and businesses.”

The new Bexley paper will cover virtually all of the Borough, with a distribution of 70,000.

It will be edited by Sandra Hembery, who will also continue to edit the paid-for Dartford and Gravesend Messengers and the free Dartford & Swanley Informer and Gravesend KM Extra.

Seven new editorial staff are also being recruited for the Bexley title, including three reporters and two sub-editors, who will initially be based at Dartford, although the group hopes to open a Bexley office.

Eight sales staff and managers have also been recruited to work on the two new editions.

David said: “The investment in our news teams clearly demonstrates that these will be newspapers in the truest sense of the word.

“Although Bexley is considered a London Borough, the majority of local residents still see themselves as Kentish and we are delighted to serve them with a free local newspaper focused purely on this rapidly developing area.”