Regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press is celebrating the best in north-east journalism with a new awards scheme.
Eighteen gongs were handed out among its portfolio of daily and weekly newspapers at the inaugural Northeast Press Awards at a ceremony in South Shields.
Among the big winners were the Hartlepool Mail and Sunderland Echo which both picked up six awards each.
Ian Willis, from the Mail, took best story with his tale about a yob urinating on a dying woman which was picked up by many national newspapers.
Sunderland Echo snapper Tony Colling took both best picture and best portfolio for his “technical achievement across a wide range of photographic studies”.
The full list of award winners is:
Best Reporter’s Portfolio (Daily)
Winner Ian Willis, Hartlepool Mail
Highly Commended – Angela Reed, Shields Gazette
Best Reporter’s Portfolio (Weekly)
Winner – David Sedgewick, News Guardian
Highly Commended – Anna Smith, Morpeth Herald
Trainee of the Year (Daily)
Joint Winners – Tracy Walker, Hartlepool Mail, Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended – David McClean, Shields Gazette
Trainee of the Year (Weekly)
Winner – Helen Woods, Northumberland Gazette
Highly Commended – James Willoughby, Northumberland Gazette
Best Columnist
Winner – Richard Ord, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended – Gavin Ledwith, Hartlepool Mail
Best Story
Winner – Ian Willis, Hartlepool Mail
Highly Commended – Ross Robertson, Sunderland Echo, and Angela Reed, Shields Gazette
Best Sports Story
Winner – Miles Starforth, Shields Gazette
Highly Commended – Andrew Coulson, Morpeth Herald
Best Feature (Daily)
Winner – Linda Colling, Sunderland Echo
Best Feature (Weekly)
Winner – Anna Smith, Morpeth Herald
Highly Commended – Hayley Revell, News Guardian
Best Online Contribution
Winner – Lee Hall, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended – Robert Brooks, Northumberland Gazette
Best Picture
Winner – Tony Colling, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended – Tim Richardson, Shields Gazette
Best portfolio of pictures
Winner – Tony Colling, Sunderland Echo
Highly Commended – Tom Yeoman, Sunderland Echo
Best Front Page (Daily)
Winner – John Fleet, Hartlepool Mail
Highly Commended – John Bainbridge, Sunderland Echo
Best Front Page (Weekly)
Winner – Ian Arkle, News Guardian
Best Back Page
Winner – Ian Monaghan, Hartlepool Mail
Best Initiative
Winner – Knives Ruin Lives, Shields Gazette
Highly Commended – Walk for Justice, Sunderland Echo
Best Inside Pages (Daily)
Winner – Production Team, Hartlepool Mail
Best Inside Pages (Weekly)
Winner – Janet Hall, Northumberland Gazette