A Cumbrian weekly paper has ceased publication of its printed edition a few months after celebrating its 30th anniversary.

On 19 July 1979, the first edition of the Lakeland Echo hit the shops with a cover price of 6p.

The final printed edition of the title was published at the end of last year but its companion website lakelandecho.co.uk will continue featuring news from its north Lancashire and Lake District patch.

No redundancies resulted from its closure as it was produced from the same office as sister titles The Visitor and Lancaster and Morecambe Reporter.

The Lakeland Echo was founded by journalist Andrew Wilson and its launch made national news headlines.

Its name derived from a paper which existed in Ambleside at the turn of the last century called the ‘English Lakes Echo’.

Andrew edited the title for the first few years and received help with commercial matters from local printer Paul Shingler.

The payroll expanded and the title was converted in a freesheet with the Christmas edition in 1980 in order to generate more advertising revenue.

Around 20,000 copies were distributed each week which kept the business running but in early 1982 it was sold to Morecambe Press Ltd and more recently was part of Johnston Press’ Lancaster and Morecambe Newspapers division.

In July 2004, a party was held to mark the Echo’s 25th anniversary with former workers travelling from as far afield as Majorca to attend while a farewell bash was held in Bowness to mark the end of the paper’s lifespan with ex-colleagues.

Writing on the Echo’s website, Andrew said: “I regard 30 years as an achievement for a local paper when hundreds of local papers around the country have come and gone in a much shorter time.

“In fact, on my Christmas cards, I was reminding some of the early workers with whom I am still in touch that the Echo chalked up its 30th anniversary this year and that was something worth celebrating, even if we did not have a party this time.

“I am very grateful that Morecambe Press came along at that time and felt that the Echo was something they could usefully add to their portfolio and make a success of.

“They ensured its survival for many more years, and I am most appreciative of that.”