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Regional press staff fly to Middle East

Six regional newspapers have sent reporters to the Middle East to cover the expected conflict in Iraq.

Several military units requested that their local newspaper should be positioned with them in any forthcoming conflict, including The Portsmouth News, and its defence correspondent, Richard Hargreaves, is aboard HMS Ark Royal.

Editor Mike Gilson said: “As the local newspaper for the home of the Royal Navy we have built up a bond of trust between service men and women and their families.

“For that reason I think it is important that our defence correspondent Richard Hargreaves is out with the fleet giving our readers an informed and vivid picture of what is actually going on.”

Also travelling with military units is Mark Nicholls, of the Eastern Daily Press, James Fraser Andrews from the Ipswich Evening Star, and the Manchester Evening News’s Martin Dillon.

Two newspapers have also sent out both a reporter and photographer overseas.

Reporter Keith Harrison and photographer Alan Evans from the Wolverhampton Express & Star are travelling with 102 Logs Brigade, and reporter Richard Edwards and photographer Jon Mills are with the 42 Commando from the Royal Marines.

Western Daily Press editor Terry Manners said: “On this newspaper our hearts and minds go out to our troops in the front line and their families and loved ones. That is why our reporters are there.”

They left the UK this week to travel with the troops as war correspondents.

They will remain abroad for a minimum of two months, pooling copy and pictures for regional coverage.

All the journalists and photographers are members of the Regional Press Corps and their newspapers won a ballot to decide which of its 18 members would go.

Material they gather will go to all members, and be available to all other regional newspapers at reasonable rates.

The Regional Press Corps was established in 1983 and membership is open to all regional newspapers and updated on a yearly basis.

Editors have to confirm that their journalist is physically fit, able to endure difficult and dangerous environments, and able to travel by air and sea, and the newspapers involved have to pay half the flight costs, as well as their staff expenses.

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