David Cameron has given his backing to Local Newspaper Week as a public ballot to choose the year’s best newspaper campaign topped 12,000 votes.

The Newspaper Society poll, designed to highlight campaigns which have made the biggest difference to their communities ,closed at midnight.

A total of 30 campaigns have been shortlisted with the winner to be announced at tomorrow’s Regional Press Awards ceremony.

Yesterday the Prime Minister sent a message of support describing local newspapers as “crucial to our democracy.”

He said:  “First, local newspapers hold public authorities to account. They report on council meetings – and taxpayers know if their money is being spent wisely. They publish police appeals – and witnesses come forward.

“They cover court cases – and communities know when justice has been done. And they scrutinise local politicians – so voters know if their MP is working in their interests.

“Second, local papers continually fight for their communities, agitating for change, and, very often, succeeding. That’s the theme of this year’s Local Newspaper Week: making a difference.

“Because with their commitment to campaigning on local issues, local newspapers aren’t just breaking the news, they’re making it.”

The full list of campaigns is as follows:

•    Barnsley Chronicle/Proud of Barnsley 2014
•    Bradford Telegraph and Argus/Stop the Cut
•    Camden New Journal/Save The Whittington
•    Cumberland & Westmorland Herald/All Hands to The Pump
•    Eastern Daily Press/Norfolk and Lowestoft Flood Appeal
•    Edinburgh Evening News/Save Our Stations
•    Express & Star/Green Shoots Fund
•    Glenrothes Gazette/My Living Hell
•    Harrogate Advertiser/Harrogate Homeless Project
•    Hartlepool Mail/Callum’s Dream
•    Hull Daily Mail /Hull City of Culture 2017
•    Kent Messenger/Snapshots of a Life…
•    Lancashire Evening Post/Twilight
•    Littlehampton Gazette/Appeal to save Local Community Bus for Elderly
•    Maidenhead Advertiser/Together We Can Build It
•    Manchester Evening News/Save Our Science Museum
•    News & Star/Who Cares?
•    Northern Echo/Save Our Jobs
•    Northumberland Gazette/Jam Jar Army
•    Reading Post/Robbie the Robot Appeal
•    Shields Gazette/Miley’s Memory
•    Shropshire Star/London Link Campaign
•    Southern Daily Echo/Have a Heart
•    Sunday Post/Kiltwalk Team
•    Sunderland Echo/Help Liam Walk
•    The Journal/Let’s Grow
•    Western Gazette/A303 Dual It!
•    Western Mail/A Star for Richard Burton
•    Westmorland Gazette/Driving Hospice Care
•    Yorkshire Post/Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic