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Weekly prints four-page special as big news breaks hours after deadline

Staff at the Gwent Gazette spang into action to produce a stand-alone four-page supplement after a well-known local MP died just six hours after the weekly paper had been put to bed.

The Gazette wasn’t even on sale when news of the death of maverick Blaenau Gwent MP Peter Law emerged, and so staff there had to pull out all the stops to ensure readers didn’t miss out – and that the paper didn’t miss one of the biggest stories of the year.

A three-strong team in its Ebbw Vale office, editor Sarah Harris, Louise Dicks and Jamie Robins, were tasked with turning round several thousand words of obituary, tribute, personal comment and political commentary inside two hours.

Then 5,000 copies were quickly printed ready for readers to pick up with the main paper at newsagents, backing up the 13,000-sale Gwent Gazette.

Celtic Newspapers editor-in-chief Simon Farrington said news of the death of the MP, who had a brain tumour, had left the paper facing a dilemma.

He said: “There were a few expletives, especially as we knew Peter was so ill and we had been making daily checks.

“As part of the Western Mail & Echo, our press runs to a demanding 24-hour schedule, so the idea of a reprint was not a serious option.

“Also we had a further five Valleys titles on deadline on what is a crucial publication day.

“Equally, it was not something we could sit on for a week and watch daily titles have a free run at one of our biggest stories of the year.”

He added: “Peter Law has been so much our story: we broke exclusively his decision to run as an Independent against Labour’s ‘parachuted’ female selection Maggie Jones in last year’s General Election, and we also broke the sad news of the brain tumour that ultimately claimed his life.”

The decision to run the four-page tribute featured on BBC Wales early evening news and the supplement was also promoted on local radio.

Simon said: “It was a tribute to Peter and his family, and a thank-you to our loyal readers.

“It shows that although we have one weekly product, given exceptional circumstances, we can and should react to a big story.

“It was a terrifc team effort by the Gwent Gazette staff, designers, colour print and circulation.”