An independent news website will be used as a story source for audio recordings for blind people for the first time.

Articles posted on SalfordOnline.com will be used for some of the recordings created by Salford Talking Newspaper, whose 80 volunteers produce weekly recorded mp3 programmes for around 250 blind or partially-sighted users.

For the past 30 years, the charity has used the Salford Advertiser as its only source of news stories including crime, sport, politics and community news.

News editor Tom Rodgers said: “We’re absoutely made up that Salford Talking Newspaper want to use our news. It’s a great fit for us as they only want local news for local people.

“We work hard to produce exclusives, breaking news and local news that’s relevant to everyone in the city, so it’s a testament to the quality of our journalism that we’re now such a trusted source.”

SalfordOnline, which is a social enterprise, was launched as a full-time news organisation in 2009 and employs two full-time reporters and around 15 volunteer/freelance writers.