Readers of the Bridlington Free Press are being given the chance to make their own headlines – by sending their own witty one-liners to the paper.

The paper is keen to encourage readers to get more involved with their local weekly, and so editor Nick Procter has set them the task of coming up with ideas for headlines to rival the subs.

Nick kicked off the contest – which looks set to be a regular feature – with the tale of local chef Lee Bennett, now working for Gordon Ramsay, who took charge of the food for David and Victoria Beckham’s pre-World Cup party.

He told readers: “Stories like this give journalists the opportunity to have some fun with headlines and you know how much we like our puns.

“Our headline was Nosh and Becks but other suggestions included Blend it like Beckham, Gordon Bleu and Gordon Bennett.”

And after getting a few tips, readers were asked to write a headline about an X Factor hopeful and another about a charity walker’s beer-swilling teddy bear – with the best efforts making it into print this week.

Deputy editor Simon Haldenby told HoldtheFrontPage: “It’s proved popular so far. We’ve had some funny suggestions which we’ve been able to use in-paper as a headline and caption.

“They’ve all been pretty good and it’s nice to get a bit of help from readers.”

The tale of X Factor hopeful Billy Shears was accompanied by a reader caption which read: “Move over Britney Spears, here comes Billy Shears”.

The story of charity walker Paul Russell was published alongside a photograph of his teddy bear mascot head first in a pint of beer, with the headline “Heineken refreshes the bears other beers cannot reach”. Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or e-mail [email protected]