A weekly deputy editor is leaving his paper after 19 years for a new group role in training and coaching journalists.

Paul Wiltshire, left, bowed out as deputy editor of the Bath Chronicle on Friday and will start a new role today as a regional editorial trainer for parent company Local World.

A journalist for the past 30 years, Paul was at the heart of the Chronicle’s transformation from daily to weekly in 2007 and was in charge of the newsdesk at the LW title.

He will be replaced by Alex Brown from the South Wales Evening Post, who will have the title of head of content.

Paul, 50, previously worked as a reporter and in newsdesk roles at the Herald Express in Torquay and the Swindon Advertiser before joining the Chronicle in 1995.

He said: “I’m excited to be given the opportunity to work full-time on an area of the business that I am passionate about – people.  I look forward to working with all of the talent we have in content across the region”.

“I will desperately miss having my own team of Bath Chronicle and Somerset Guardian miracle-workers and the buzz of seeing a great story to fruition, but this is too good an opportunity to miss.”

In his new role he will be responsisble for staff development across  Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset and will report to Bristol MD Sarah Pullen.

Chronicle editor Lynne Fernquest added:  “It’s difficult to imagine the Bath Chronicle and Somerset Guardian without Paul Wiltshire. Paul personifies everything that is brilliant about regional journalism – he has the tenacity of a rottweiler where he sees injustice, combined with endless compassion for the victimised.

“I won’t be the first or the last to say that Paul is one of the best journalists I have ever worked with.”

“Although Paul’s departure it a sad day for the Bath Chronicle and the Somerset Guardian, his new role as trainer for the Local World journalists in Bristol, Gloucester, Somerset and Dorset is the perfect next step for him and it fills me with confidence for the continued high standard of print and online journalism in our business.”