Trainee reporter Nev Wilson made a small slice of history as the EDF Energy London and South of England Media Awards winners were announced yesterday.

The 26-year-old Surrey Mirror reporter became the first ever to win both the Newcomer and Weekly Print Journalist of the Year prizes at the same awards.

But the glory didn’t end there for the Northcliffe title as Simon Osbourn took Sports Reporter of the Year while the Surrey Mirror was crowned Paid-for Weekly Newspaper of the Year.

Nev, who joined the paper in May last year, said: “I am really chuffed. I thought getting one is amazing so for and EDF first to get a double is unbelievable.

“I’ve got my seniors in two weeks time – ever since I joined the paper I’ve just loved it.”

Other big winners were Brighton daily The Argus which took Daily Newspaper of the Year and The News, Portsmouth, which won four prizes including Front Page for its striking design to mark Portsmouth FC’s FA Cup Final appearance (below).

Argus editor Michael Beard said: “It’s a tribute to the hard work put in by everyone at the paper, it’s been a tough year but I am glad they’ve got the recognition.

“They were up against some really tough competition.”

The awards, run in association with HoldtheFrontPage, were presented at London Zoo. EDF Energy’s sponsorship saw individual winners take home £100 cash prizes with trophies for all category champions.

The awards winners in full are:

Daily Newspaper of the Year

The Argus, Brighton

Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Paid-for)

Surrey Mirror

Weekly Newspaper of the Year (Free)

Crawley News

Print Journalist of the Year (Daily)

Matt Jackson The News, Portsmouth

Print Journalist of the Year (Weekly)

Nev Wilson, Surrey Mirror

Newcomer of the Year

Nev Wilson, Surrey Mirror

Environmental Journalist of the Year

Malcolm Shaw, ITV Meridian

Business Journalist of the Year

Gareth Lewis, Southern Daily Echo, Southampton

News Photographer of the Year

Stuart Emmerson, Harrow and Wembley Observer

Sports Journalist of the Year

Simon Osborn, Surrey Mirror

Feature Writer of the Year

Simon Toft, The News, Portsmouth

Columnist of the Year

Neal Butterworth, Daily Echo, Bournemouth

Designer of the Year

Alan Cooper, The News, Portsmouth

Radio Journalist of the Year

Ed Cook, BBC Radio Kent

Television Journalist of the Year

Jon Hunt, BBC South East Today

Radio News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year

John Warnett, Breakfast Show BBC Radio Kent

Television News/Current Affairs Programme of the Year

ITV Thames Valley, Heathrow Terminal 5

Community Campaign of the Year

‘Parking Mad’ – Daily Echo, Bournemouth

Website of the Year

Hamstead & Highgate Express – HamHigh.co.uk

Front Page of the Year

‘Pompey Expects’ – The News, Portsmouth