A Midlands regional daily has a new editor today after the previous news chief left to join a sister title.

Richard Bowyer, left, steps up to the role of editor of The Sentinel, Stoke, after seven years as deputy editor.

He succeeds Mike Sassi who left last month after eight years in the editor’s chair to take over at fellow Local World title the Nottingham Post.

Richard also served as deputy editor under Mike at the Lincolnshire Echo before rejoining him at Stoke.

Said Richard:  “I feel honoured to take up the role of Editor and I am looking forward to continuing to serve the community of North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

“Thanks to all the hard work put in by the team, we have a fabulous newspaper and a growing online audience. I am looking forward to the exciting times ahead.”

Richard began his career in journalism at the Coalville and Ashby Times before moving to the Peterborough Evening Telegraph and then the Wolverhampton Express & Star.

He joined the Derby Telegraph as district news editor in 1992 before moving onto the  Echo 1999.

Michelle Gesell, managing director of Staffordshire Sentinel News and Media said: “In the last seven years Richard has worked incredibly hard and has developed a real affinity with our publications and North Staffordshire as a whole and is incredibly well respected in the newsroom as well as by the local community.”