The Cambridge Evening News has launched ‘Sunrise’ editions of the paper in a bid to reach a new audience.

It now produces two editions overnight, aimed at capturing early morning commuter traffic and extending the number of hours that the newspaper is available for sale.

The Iliffe News & Media newspaper has also dropped the word “Evening” from the masthead of the new editions, which cover Cambridge and Ely and Newmarket.

It follows a successful trial of overnight publishing of the Saturday Cambridge Evening News, which saw an average five per cent lift in retail sales across a ten-week period.

The new Sunrise edition

The move is in addition to on-the-day editions of the paper, which is continuing to produce a lunch-time City Final as well as an updated edition for Ely and Newmarket.

Cambridge Newspapers managing director Andy Gough said: “The prime motivation behind our Sunrise editions has been the aim to be there at times that are more convenient for our readers.

“The commuter audience is a new one for us but we have not forgotten our roots and the updated City Final edition is still an important part of our daily operation.”

The Sunrise editions are available in retail outlets across the Greater Cambridge area via the wholesalers from around 5.30am ready for early morning commuter traffic.

The on-the-day editions revert to the traditional Cambridge Evening News masthead and serve all key retail outlets as well as the newspaper’s home delivery readers.