The Whitehaven News has appointed a new editor.

Colin Edgar, currently chief sub-editor at the Carlisle News & Star, is due to start his new job on Monday April 5.

He takes over from Hilary Scott, who leaves the post after eight years to take on a new role as development editor for parent company Cumbrian News Group’s magazine department in Carlisle.

Colin began his career at the North West Evening Mail in 1984 before moving to Carlisle in 1993. At the Mail he was the original ‘Cornwallis’ columnist and even illustrated the articles with his own cartoons.

He said: “I’m excited about going to Whitehaven. It’s a cracking town.

“There’s lots of things happening there.

“I’m looking forward to finding everything out about the town and joining the happy community.”

The department Hilary will move to already produces Cumbria Life magazine and is looking at potential new developments.

In her time as editor in Whitehaven, she has celebrated the paper’s 150th anniversary – securing Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for a free outdoor concert to celebrate – and run a number of memorable community campaigns.

She said: “The biggest has been concerning our local hospital, working with our sister paper the Times & Star.

“We started off campaigning for the children’s ward, which could have been at risk, and later campaigns to retain elderly and mental health services. Every time it’s looked like it has been threatened we have campaigned for it.

“This is such a huge geographical area – it has to remain an acute hospital.”

The Whitehaven News, the News & Star and the North West Evening Mail are run by the Cumbrian CN Group.

The broadsheet weekly Whitehaven News has been covering the news in the Copeland borough area of West Cumbria for 150 years and prides itself on reflecting the community it serves – in the towns of Whitehaven, Egremont, Cleator Moor and Millom.

It has a circulation of more than 18,000 and publishes on Thursdays.

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