A free weekly newspaper website has been named the best in its region beating off competition from the likes of the Manchester Evening News.

The Wirral Globe’s www.wirralglobe.co.uk site won the prize at Thursday night’s How Do awards, designed to honour the best in media, PR and marketing in the North West region.

There was also an unexpected win in the newspaper category for Asian Lite, which overcame opposition from established regional dailies the Lancashire Telegraph and Bolton News among others.

And the pioneering disability magazine All Together Now! added to its growing collection of awards by being named best magazine.

Wirral Globe editor Leigh Marles said: “We’re delighted to have won this award. I think we were successful because of our absolute commitment to our web-first policy, which enables us to compete properly with some of our biggest rivals across the region.

“But it’s not just the Globe’s journalism that helps make our website, and our Facebook, so dynamic. It’s our many hundreds of commenters who contribute to some incredible debates.”

Web editor Catherine Lawler added: “For such a small editorial team, the Globe has done exceptionally well to receive this award, having been up against competitors such as the Manchester Evening News and Radio Today.

“The rise in traffic figures over the last year has been phenomenal for both the website and our social media pages.”

More than 600 people – the highest number in the awards’ five-year history – turned out for the ceremony at Lancashire County Cricket Club’s The Point.

Winners in the magazine, website and newspaper categories were as follows:

Magazine: Altogether Now!

Also Shortlisted: Lancashire Life
Manchester City Council – Cascade
Salutions – Didsbury Magazine
Waterfront Magazines

Media website: wirralglobe.co.uk

Also Shortlisted: 97.4 Rock FM Facebook
Cumbria24.com
Deltatre Media – Rugby World Cup 2011 website
ilovemanchester.com
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
RadioToday.co.uk
www.creativetimes.co.uk

Newspaper: Asian Lite

Also Shortlisted: Cheshire West and Chester Council – Talking Together
Chorley and Leyland Guardian
Lancashire Telegraph
Lancaster Guardian
The Bolton News
The Times Business Insight
Westmorland Gazette