A weekly newspaper is exploiting a potential 7,000-strong readership boost by taking in a neighbouring area.

The Cannock Mercury has been renamed the Cannock & Rugeley Mercury and now has a readership of almost 45,000 across the Chase district of Staffordshire.

Two editions of the paper will be produced every Thursday, both called the Cannock & Rugeley Mercury, but with different front and back pages for their respective areas.

Editor Lindy Young said the change meant that Cannock readers would receive a newspaper which was almost twice as thick as before whereas those in Rugeley would be reading much more targeted news.

She said: “It is a neat package for readers. People in Rugeley will get more news on their area.

“We hope to have a dedicated Rugeley reporter soon.

“We have introduced a new ON leisure section with entertainment and lifestyle articles and we will look to expand this.

“The Cannock and Rugeley areas share a lot of mining heritage and have undergone some dramatic changes in fortune recently. We are trying to move along and reflect these changes.

“We really hope the Rugeley readers benefit from this. There is a lot of new housing going up in the area – so hopefully we will reach even more new readers.”

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