A makeover for Suffolk weekly the Haverhill Echo was launched by pirates and a parrot in the town centre.

Advertising and editorial staff joined in with the fun launch, which heralded changes to the title which includes a new design, new masthead and new content, including a new entertainment section and an agony aunt.

The project is the culmination of six months of hard work by the Echo staff, under newly appointed editor, David Hart.

David, who has been at the paper 28 years and was previously deputy editor, welcomed readers to the new style Echo with a front page letter.

He wrote: “Your Echo is the voice of a modern, fast-growing and progressive town and we want to reflect that in our news and sports coverage and in the advertising service we offer you.”

And timbers were well and truly shivered when the all new Echo was launched by a swarthy fleet of pirates. All members of staff were involved in the research for the relaunch and got into the spirit by dressing up, inflating hundreds of balloons and going out to meet the public and tell them about the new Echo.

Advertising team Kath Pearce, Selina Martindale, Tracey Hills (as Polly) and Karen Ward

Advertising’s Tracey Hills donned the giant parrot costume, meaning she was the only person to stay warm in the freezing weather – although perhaps rather warmer than she might have liked.

Polly and chief reporter Karen Steel
recline outside the library

And chief reporter, Karen Steel, led by example, throwing herself into the fun.

The new-look was well-received, with readers calling the office to praise the new layout.