Another newspaper publisher has joined Trinity Mirror’s bid to run regional TV news in the North-East and Borders region.

The CN Group, publishers of the News and Star, Carlisle, and the North West Evening Mail, in Barrow, is joining the consortium formed by Trinity, the Press Association and production company Ten Alps.

It will do battle for the right to broadcast regional TV news on Channel 3 with a rival team featuring Newsquest, publishers of the Northern Echo, and Johnston Press, which owns the Sunderland Echo and Hartlepool Mail.

The winner will be chosen in March.

Robin Burgess, chief executive of CN Group, said: “We are delighted to be joining Trinity Mirror, the Press Association and Ten Alps in tendering for the Tyne Tees and Border ITV regional news franchise.

“We have been serving the people of Cumbria with local news, information and entertainment for over 194 years and we look forward to continuing this by contributing to a revitalised local news programme.

“Having been directly involved with Border Television from its foundation until it was sold to Granada we hope that our unique position will help ensure the consortium is chosen to serve the area for this pilot.”

Neil Benson, spokesman for the consortium, added: “We are delighted that CN Group has joined our consortium. Their unrivalled knowledge and coverage of Cumbria will be crucially important in ensuring that we provide an outstanding local service for that part of the region.

“CN Group adds considerable weight to our proposition and we are absolutely convinced we have the ideal blueprint for the English TV news pilot.”