Journalists’ jobs are set to go after broadcasting giant Sky has axed a regional news website it set up last year.

Sky Tyne and Wear was launched in February 2012 to provide news, sports and events coverage for the one million people living in Sunderland, Newcastle and Gateshead.

It recruited a team of around 15 video journalists to film content for the site, which was seen as a pilot project for other potential news websites around the UK.

However their futures are now uncertain after Sky announced the project had now closed

A statement posted on the site reads:  “We have greatly valued the interest of everyone who has come to the website and mobile app since we launched in February 2012. We hope you have enjoyed the news, sport and events service we’ve provided.

“Sky Tyne and Wear was set up as a pilot project, and with your help we have learned a great deal about local news and views. Now the pilot period is over, we have conducted a thorough review and the service is now closed.

“It’s been a great couple of years with many memorable moments which we have shared together. We are genuinely sorry to be signing off.

“Of course, Sky News and Sky Sports will continue to cover stories in the Tyne and Wear region and we hope you will continue to use and enjoy them. For now, from the Sky Tyne and Wear team, it’s goodbye.”

At the time of the original launch, Sky’s associate editor Simon Bucks said Tyne and Wear had been chosen for the project on account of its “local identity and pride.”

He added:  “We felt people were under-served in terms of video coverage because newspaper websites don’t have a lot of videos on them.”