A North East editor is to be given oversight of all three Johnston Press-owned daily titles in the region.

Joy Yates, editor of the Hartlepool Mail since 2006 and additionally the Shields Gazette since last year, will now also have overall responsibility for the Sunderland Echo.

The move is part of a restructure of senior editorial roles in the region with the appointment of two group editors.

John Szymanski remains day-to-day editor of the Echo having taken on the role just over a year ago.

Under the changes, Joy becomes group editor of the JP titles in the south of the region, which include the three dailies plus the weekly Peterlee Star and Washington Star.

Susan Windram will be group editor, North, with editorial responsibility for 11 weeklies.

These are the Southern Reporter, Selkirk Weekend Advertiser, Hawick News, Berwick Advertiser, Berwickshire News, Galloway Gazette, Carrick Gazette, Northumberland Gazette, Morpeth Herald, the News Post Leader and the News Guardian.

Each of the titles retains an individual editor.